


Memory Storage: 99% Full

by The_Busy_Beee



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Artificial Intelligence, Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Birthday Party, Clothed Sex, Coitus Interruptus, First Kiss, Fluff, Gen has a vagina, Gen is a robot, Hopeful ending?, Jealousy, Kissing, Lingerie, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Minor Violence, Pining, Semi-Public Sex, Sexual Coercion, Spin the Bottle, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, kind of?, more tags to be added later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:27:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 40,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24377236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Busy_Beee/pseuds/The_Busy_Beee
Summary: Senku never planned to get an AI of his own, but Chrome and Kaseki aren't asking- they're taking matters into their own hands and forcing Gen on him.Senku doesn't mind Gen; he's smart and very helpful.But Senku probably should have read the manual Chrome and Kaseki gave him.---Gen is a specially made, one of a kind AI with the potential to develop "feelings and emotions", but Senku doesn't realize that until it's too late.Then he has to deal with his own broken feelings and emotions.
Relationships: Asagiri Gen/Ishigami Senkuu, Chrome/Ruri (Dr. STONE), Ginrou/Matsukaze (Dr. STONE), Ishigami Byakuya/Dr. Xeno/Stanley Snyder, Kohaku/Mozu (Dr. STONE), Ogawa Yuzuriha/Ooki Taiju
Comments: 189
Kudos: 373





	1. G3N-001

**Author's Note:**

> Hello~! 
> 
> This is my first (second, really) forray into writing for Dr. Stone! I'm still improving and adjusting, but I hope you'll all enjoy it! 💕
> 
> This fic is gonna start out soft and a little silly but take a dive into angsty territory. I'll be adding more tags along the way, and I'll be sure to note any potentially upsetting things in the notes before every chapter, so please keep an eye out for those! 
> 
> I think that's all the important bits, so all that's left is to enjoy it! 💕

“You really didn’t have to do this, Kaseki,” Senku says, watching the older man and his grandson, Chrome, carefully mount and plug in the huge closet looking containment unit. 

“He really did,” Chrome deadpans, picking up the screwdriver from beside his knee. “You refuse to hire any help around here-”

“Because I don’t  _ need _ help-”

“So the next logical conclusion is foisting help upon you,” he finishes with a grin. Senku rolls his eyes, fond smile tugging at the edge of his lips. He absolutely  _ doesn’t _ need another assistant. He’s perfectly fine with just Chrome popping in every weekend to help with any experiments he might need a hand with, and the meals Taiju and Yuzuriha bring by every couple days. So what if he doesn’t cook for himself and his apartment is a little messy; his lab is perfectly organized and his mini fridge is full of protein jellies- that’s what matters.

“We all had a hand in helping with the programming," Chrome says with a grin, tugging a blue rag from his pocket to wipe his hands off. 

“That doesn’t sound good,” Senku laughs. Chrome scoffs and elbows him as he stands beside the scientist, watching Kaseki do the finishing touches.

“Seriously, Yuzuriha was worried you were gonna starve to death now that she's on bed rest. She told Pop to make sure it could cook, clean and do laundry." Senku sighs and runs a hand through his hair. 

His friends worry about him way too much, but maybe that's his fault. It's not that he _can't_ cook or clean up after himself, his work schedule just doesn't afford him much time. When he's not teaching classes at the university, he's working on his own experiments in his home laboratory or helping in the research lab at the university. Cooking and cleaning are one of those things that get pushed to the bottom of the list and overshadowed by all the much more important things on his to do list. Hell, he doesn't even know Yuzuriha or Taiju have been here sometimes until he comes staggering out of the lab in the early hours of the morning and finds the apartment clean and more food in his fridge. 

"I got it," he sighs, watching the lights on the unit turn on. If having a personal AI will make his friends and family feel better, so be it. It's not like it'll take up much space in his huge apartment anyways. 

Kaseki and Chrome both "oooh~!" In amazement as the panel on the front of the door chimes and the latch pops open with a click, like they didn't just spend who knows how long creating the thing, but even Senku is a little amazed by how theatrical it seems. Slim, pale fingers gripping the edge of the white door startle Senku and the amazement really kicks in as he watches the AI push the doors open and carefully step out into the room. 

Their hair is split just shy of the middle, the longer portion on the left a soft, snowy white, while the shorter hair on the right is an inky black color. There's an odd reddish brown marking beginning beneath the AI's right eye, making a sharp, jagged angle, similar to the mouth of a grinning monster, and Senku wonders if that's a sign that his AI will be a handful. Soft pink lips quirk up into a friendly smile, long black eyelashes falling closed over blue-grey irises, as the AI folds his arms and tucks his hands into the sleeves of his lilac colored yukata jacket.

"Good afternoon! You must be Senku-chan!" 

Senku blinks, surprised, and Kaseki and Chrome exchange high fives behind the scientist. "Uh, yeah," Senku replies, tucking his hands into the pocket of his lab coat. "And you must be..?"

"Senku, this is G3N-001," Kaseki introduces, moving closer to the AI. 

"We call him Gen!" Chrome grins.

"He's the first of his series," Kaseki has that look in his eye and Senku knows the man is preparing to launch into full explanation about the machine and all of it's particulars and he's more than ready to hear about it. He's seen a few of Kaseki's AI before, and even helped develop the artificial skin, but something about the way this model is looking around the room curiously, eyes lingering on certain places longer than others, seems  _ different. _

He's  _ intrigued. _

Kaseki's phone rings in his pocket and he sighs heavily as he reaches into his pocket to fish it out before stepping to the side and answering.

"We've actually been working on G3N for a while," Chrome reveals instead, "He's a lot more complex than the other models. The other models are completely programmed from day one with all their functions, and to add new things you have to like, send them back to us and have them upgraded, or we have to come out and update them at home-" Senku nods. It's a hassle and that's part of why he didn't want an AI in the first place. Kaseki's company doesn't mass produce the AI for this reason as well. Each product is custom made and costs a pretty penny, meaning no one AI is the same as any other. It takes a lot of time and care, but Kaseki has loved every bit of it. As much as Kaseki enjoys it, there's no reason to make extra work for them if he doesn't have to, right?

"-but Gen can learn things on his own!"

Senku blinks.

"Excuse me..?"

"He's been programmed with all the normal stuff," Chrome continues as he digs around in his satchel, ignoring Senku's surprise, "like he can clean and cook and read and write-"

"I can also do magic tricks~" Gen winks at the scientist.

"Yeah! He does parlor tricks, too!" Chrome's smile is infectious and Senku finds himself grinning as well.

"You can have him set alarms, search the internet, compose emails or have him read your messages and emails while you work" he finally pulls out a thick packet of papers, "he can even sing songs-"

"Please don't make me sing," Gen interrupts, drawing their attention. He huffs a small laugh, hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck and it's so  _ real- _ Gen feels so  _ alive- _ Senku will never get used to it. "I might be programmed with the  _ ability _ to sing, but that doesn't mean I was programmed with the  _ talent _ for singing." Senku barks out a laugh. 

"Fair enough," he takes the packet from Chrome, skimming over the first page just as Kaseki re-enters the room. 

"I'm sorry to have to dart out so quickly my boy, but it seems one of the AI is in need of emergency maintenance," Kaseki seems thoroughly disappointed at having to leave so soon. Chrome is quick to begin packing away all their tools.

"Which one?"

"Ryusui's AM7L," Kaseki pinches the bridge of his nose and Senku can't hold back his snort of amusement.

"Amaryllis again??" Chrome cries. 

"Gen dear," Kaseki takes both the AI's slim hands in his own with a soft smile, "take good care of Senku. He's a very good boy- just a little stubborn at times.

"I'm literally three feet away," Senku scoffs. Gen's smile mirrors Kaseki's as he nods.

"Of course."

Senku follows the pair to the door, exchanging promises to talk again soon and confirming his attendance to Chrome's birthday party that weekend. He exhales softly when the door finally latches shut behind him, leaving him alone in his apartment. Well, mostly alone, he thinks as he looks down at the instruction manual in his hand.

"Senku-chan~" Senku startles and whirls around to look at the AI a mere foot behind him. "It's nearing 12 o'clock. Shall I make lunch? I have 127 recipes currently downloaded. If you'll tell me what you like, I can adjust my cooking accordingly!"

"That seems a little excessive," Senku murmurs, taking a closer look at the AI. Gen is wearing some kind of laced up turtleneck shirt underneath his yellow mini kimono and pale pink obi, leaving his legs and feet bare to the slightly chilled air of his apartment. A small silver band with a single purple bead decorates his left ankle. "And that seems impractical. Don't all those layers restrict your movement or get in the way?"

Gen blinks at Senku, and then down at his attire. He pulls his hands out of his sleeves and extends his arms, eyeing the way the long sleeves nearly cover his fingertips, and shrugs, ever present smile returning. "I'm not certain. This is my first time wearing clothing at all. Shall we test it out?"

"I'm not keen on having to call the fire department because my robot caught themself and my apartment on fire," Senku laughs. He isn't very hungry, but it's the perfect time to put Gen to the test. "Maybe something easy- like a sandwich?"

"Understood," Gen nods, almost to himself, and hums softly as he turns to head for Senku's kitchen. "Are there any things you don't enjoy? Anything you'd prefer I add? My programming says your tastes can be quite childish- would you like for me to cut the crusts off your sandwich prior to serving you?"

"Now look here," Senku frowns as he takes a seat on one of the silver stools at the bar between his kitchen and living room, "my tastes aren't childish." He argues.

"Oh?" Gen replies, opening the cabinets and drawers, familiarizing himself with the kitchen. "The file of recipes I have labeled "Senku's Favorites" tells me otherwise, but if you insist~" Senku's eyes narrow.

"And what exactly is in that file-"

"Senku-chan, I hate to throw a wrench in things," Gen interrupts as he turns away from the fridge, "but you don't have any of the ingredients necessary for me to make a sandwich with."

"What am I missing?"

"Well," Gen looks around the kitchen once more before fixing Senku with an amused smile, "bread, for one. And things to go inside the bread. All you have in your fridge are ready made meals, and your cabinets are near bare."

"Ah, right," Senku scratches the side of his head, trying to remember the last time he actually went grocery shopping, or even called for grocery delivery. 

"I think I could probably make fried rice?" Gen suggests, poking at the rice cooker on the counter. "You only have canned vegetables, so it would be a poor imitation, but-"

"Nah," Senku laughs, rising to his feet and rounding the counter. "I'll just microwave one of Yuzuriha's meals. Remind me later to call in a grocery delivery or something."

"Noted~" Gen replies, still opening cabinets and looking around. "Shall I start on something else then?"

"Like what?" Senku asks, starting the microwave. Gen shrugs, though Senku's back is turned to him.

"Laundry? Sweeping? Mopping? I'm your AI. What I do is really up to you. Besides, didn't you want to test my functions..?" Gen pushes himself up onto the counter, swinging his feet back and forth as he watches Senku, and it's an odd feeling. For as much as he's feeling Gen out and getting a read on his programming, it feels like Gen is doing the same thing in return. He feels like  _ he's _ the one being examined under the microscope while someone documents each and every miniscule change. He feels  _ exposed. _

He's not sure he likes it.

The microwave beeps and Senku clears his throat, grateful for a reason to look away from the AI. "The laundry is building up, I guess," he mumbles, stirring the rice in the container. 

"Then I'll start there," Gen replies cheerfully, slipping off the counter. 

"The laundry room is-"

"I'll find it~!" Gen calls, waving a hand in the air as he strolls through the living room, looking around at everything. Senku watches him lift things and open random doors as he remembers Chrome's words: "Gen can learn things on his own." He glances at the instruction booklet on top of the counter, making a mental note to at least flip through that later, before fishing a fork out of the drawer behind him and picking up his container.

"Senku-chan~?" Gen calls, presumably from the laundry room.

"Yeah?" He calls back, peering into his refrigerator. Gen hadn't been lying; it's barren. Not even a single bottle of soy sauce. 

"You  _ do _ use detergent when you wash your laundry, correct?" Senku blinks, frowns, and rises from his crouched position in the fridge.

"Of course I do," he replies, closing the door with his foot taking his food to the bar. What kind of question was that..?

"Ah, good, good," Gen pokes his head around the doorway. "In that case, I regret to inform you that due to there being absolutely no laundry soap in your laundry room, I cannot do the laundry."

Senku purses his lips.

Of  _ course _ he'd be out of detergent too.

"Hey Gen," he pulls his phone out of his pocket, opening the small orange app in the corner of his home screen with one hand as he stirs his food idly with the other.

"Yes?" Gen pads closer.

"Cancel that reminder about ordering groceries," Senku says, shoveling a bite of rice into his mouth as he scrolls through the app. Gen frowns.

"Are you sure?" 

"Mmhm," Senku holds the phone out for Gen to see as well, "I'm ordering them now."


	2. Party Tricks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You were made as a tool for entertainment, weren’t you?” Senku’s eyes meet his in the mirror and Gen falls silent. “You were programmed with a lot of different functions aside from being my housekeeper and personal chef, and one of those was party magician, right?” Gen purses his lips. “Party Magician” isn’t exactly correct, but he nods anyways. Senku turns to face him. “Are you telling me that function isn’t operational? That you can’t perform your duties?”
> 
> -
> 
> Gen might be a robot, but that doesn't mean he likes being treated like one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is finally ready, and may I say WOW- I was really not anticipating the support Chapter one got! Thank you guys so much!! 
> 
> Like I said before, this story is gonna be soft and sweet for the most part with underlying angsty bits, so I'll continue to warn before each chapter. 
> 
> The warning for today is: Vaginal Orifices.  
> Nothing sexual happens, and this chapter is really lighthearted, but the words "vaginal orifices" is used quite a bit in the latter part of this chapter because Senku is... a curious scientist. I apologize in advance if that squinks anyone out! 
> 
> Starting from chapter three, the word count will (hopefully) be a bit longer and I'll start getting into some of the darker plot bits!
> 
> I hope you'll all continue to enjoy it! <3

A week goes by in a flash, and Gen is settling into the Ishigami home nicely. He's made a routine for himself and is trying, with minimal success, to coax Senku onto the same schedule. 

Mornings begin with yoga in front of the wall of windows, to help keep his body limber- ("You're a robot, though," Senku had deadpanned the first morning. "Lubrication keeps your joints limber.") followed by a brief cool down and meditation while he organizes his thoughts and Senku's schedule. Senku had helpfully shown him his calendar and note board so Gen could put all the important dates, times, and notes into his system, so now Gen is able to better support the scientist. 

After yoga and meditation, Gen makes breakfast and checks the news and weather for anything important. He wakes Senku up (the first time) in the middle of cooking, and then a second time once the food is finished, because unless he's running late, Senku is slow to rise in the mornings.

Gen tells Senku about any important news he finds while the scientist eats; hearing Gen ramble on about the weather and traffic reports or what's happening in town but not expecting Senku to respond is a good way to help get Senku fully awake and functioning. While he talks, he makes Senku's lunch for the day and cleans the kitchen, and when Senku is done with breakfast, he heads for the shower. 

He leaves pretty quickly after that, and Gen sees him off with a smile and a "Have a nice day!" every morning… but after that, Gen's smile falls away and his routine kind of crumbles.

After the first day of cleaning everything, Gen kind of ran out of things to do.

Senku doesn't accumulate a lot of laundry in one day, and with Gen washing the dishes and kitchen every meal, there's nothing there to clean. The books are all tidy and the living room is pristine… Senku told him not to enter the lab when he's not home, and though Gen is curious about what lies beyond the door, he respects Senku's wishes and stays away.

But if Senku isn't home to talk to or give him instructions and he's cleaned everything and tidied all there is to tidy… what exactly is he supposed to _do..?_

It's been five days now, since he was brought to Senku's home- four days since he cleaned all there is to clean- and Gen still doesn't know what to do all day while Senku is gone. At least when the scientist is home, Gen has someone to converse with. 

During the long, long days when Senku is at school, though… Gen simply sits. He sits on the couch, or the barstool. Occasionally he paces, and once he decided to do a spontaneous dance, but he tripped on the corner of the living room rug and nearly fell through the glass coffee table, so he decided to not try that again. 

Gen eyes the television, mounted on the wall across from the red U shaped couch and gnaws at the inside of his cheek. In the week he's been here, Senku hasn't turned the tv on at all. He hasn't really sat in the living room much, either. He's mostly been in the lab. 

Gen wonders if maybe the tv is broken, but the little red light on it says it's not. The remote rests on the wooden shelf below it, beckoning Gen closer like a siren's call. 

Senku didn't say he could use the tv…

But he also never said he _couldn't_.

\---

Gen is still in front of the tv when Senku gets home that evening.

In flipping through channels, he caught the last half of an old black and white movie and he was riveted. After the movie ended, before Gen could change the channel, something really interesting caught his eye; a show about magicians and their greatest tricks. Gen’s been watching it all afternoon, one episode after another. He doesn’t even realize Senku is home until the light in the kitchen flips on and Gen screams a little, startling Senku.

“Jesus!” the scientist cries, one hand clasped over his chest as he covers his face with the other. “Why are you just sitting there in the dark??” 

Gen blinks at the scientist before looking around the apartment; Senku is right- everything is dark. The bright kitchen light leaves the living room covered in shadows, unlike when the gleaming overhead lights are on, and the stars have long since appeared in the night sky outside the window to his left. His internal clock is telling him that it’s nearing eight o’clock and Gen bolts upright, eyes wide.

“I forgot to make dinner!” He covers his face with both hands, embarrassed and ashamed. He has one job- take care of Senku- and he can’t even do that properly. Senku is probably going to ship him back to Kaseki now and he wouldn’t even have room to argue- what kind of Personal Attendant gets so absorbed in television that he forgets to make dinner- or even turn the lights on, for that matter!

"It's fine," Senku waves him off, one hand undoing his tie as he opens the fridge and peers in. "There's still some meals in here from Yuzuriha. I should probably eat those before they go bad."

"At least let me warm it up for you while you change!" Gen argues, rushing into the kitchen. Senku huffs a laugh but obediently steps away from the fridge to allow Gen to pull out the pink Tupperware container. 

"Sure, sure." He begins unbuttoning his work shirt as he walks through the living room on his way to the bedroom. "Do anything fun today?" He sounds amused, but it only pokes at Gen's lingering guilt. 

He should have been more careful. Tomorrow, he'll set reminders for himself, he decides. 

"Fun is a subjective term, Senku-chan," he calls as he presses the buttons on the microwave. "What do you consider fun?"

"Me?" Senku raises his voice to be heard from the bedroom. "Well, my definition of fun is doing scientific experiments."

"Then no," Gen replies with a smile, "I didn't do anything fun today." Senku laughs.

“Touche.”

\---

“Are you sure it’s alright for me to attend this party with you?” Gen asks again, looking at himself in the mirror for what must be the third time in as many minutes, “Wearing something as nice as this?” 

“Well I can’t take you in what you usually wear,” Senku frowns at his reflection as he tries, with little success, to straighten his stupid bowtie, “Chrome and Kaseki would have my head.”

Gen hums distractedly, still taking in all the finer details of the tuxedo Senku had laid out for him an hour earlier. It’s a typical black and white magician’s tuxedo jacket, but the lapels are glittery and purple. Underneath is a lilac colored vest and a white ruffled ascot. Senku had even set out a top hat with a similar lilac colored ribbon wrapped around it; all in all, a _far_ different outfit than Senku is wearing.

“Senku-chan, I really must ask again-” Gen frowns as he sets the hat on top of his head. He doesn’t look bad- on the contrary, he enjoys how he looks quite a lot- but this just seems- “are you sure this isn’t a little “over the top”?”

“Not at all,” Senku finally just yanks the black bowtie free of his neck and throws it back onto the bed. “Chrome said you were programmed to do magic tricks, right?” He finally turns to look at Gen, eyebrows raised expectantly.

“I-" Gen falters, “I mean, yes, it’s in my programming-”

“And in practicality?” Senku probes.

“In practicality I _can_ do a few tricks,” Gen admits, “I was tested on my capabilities before leaving the lab. But-!”

“Perfect! Then you can put on a show for everyone! Chrome will love it!”

“I haven’t had any time to practice though!” Gen cries, wide eyed. “I don’t even have any of my tools-”

“Make a list of what you need and we’ll find it,” Senku replies, running a comb through his hair. “We’ve still got a couple hours.”

“Senku-chan-”

“You were made as a tool for entertainment, weren’t you?” Senku’s eyes meet his in the mirror and Gen falls silent. “You were programmed with a lot of different functions aside from being my housekeeper and personal chef, and one of those was party magician, right?” Gen purses his lips. “Party Magician” isn’t exactly correct, but he nods anyways. Senku turns to face him. “Are you telling me that function isn’t operational? That you can’t perform your duties?”

Something about the way Senku treats him like a robot makes him feel uneasy. It’s weird, because he _is_ a robot- he knows that. He’s not under any preconceived notions that he’s a “real boy” or anything. Senku isn’t even talking to him any differently than Kaseki or Chrome had in the lab… but recently, he’s finding that he doesn’t enjoy it. He doesn’t like being talked to like a mere tool. He doesn’t say anything about that, though. He shoves the unease aside and picks up Senku’s tie from the bed before crossing the room. He smiles softly as he loops the tie around Senku’s neck, deft fingers expertly tying the ends together before patting Senku’s chest gently and taking a step back. Senku’s eyes meet his and Gen tips his head to the side, careful not to knock the hat off his head.

“I can do it.”

\---

Gen does it.

There are a few slips while trying to perform tricks he'd only just seen on the magic show yesterday, but he pulls it off and no one is the wiser. Chrome gushes and fawns over him once his impromptu performance is over, along with a few other party guests, but he doesn't truly feel like he succeeded until Senku gives him his smile of approval from the bar. 

There are many faces at the party he doesn't recognize, but there are more than a few he does thanks to Kaseki and Chrome adding pictures of Senku's family and friends to his hard drive. The woman who takes the stage shortly after Gen is Lillian Weinberg, a famous singer and the mother of Chrome's fiance Ruri and her sister Kohaku. Kohaku is married to Mozu, and Mozu has a sister named Kirisame- 

Basically, he's got the whole family tree in his files, and it's a doozy. 

Even though he knows most of the people Senku introduces him to, he still greets them politely and offers his hand. Taiju and Yuzuriha are by far the most excited to meet him and Taiju doesn't hesitate to cup his cheeks and turn his head this way and that.

"Taiju!" His wife scolds, smacking his hands away from Gen's face. "You can't just grab someone like that!"

"Ah! You're right! I'm sorry about that!" Taiju ducks his head in embarrassment but Gen smiles.

"I don't mind!" He holds his arms out to either side, offering himself up to Taiju in a sense. "Please don't mess with my hidden panels but feel free to examine the exterior of my creators' fine craftsmanship." 

"Don't mind if I do!" Ryusui passes his champagne glass off to Francois as he steps closer, hands immediately going to Gen's cheeks.

"Ryusui!" Yuzuriha cries. The older man hums, hands squishing and prodding, moving Gen this way and that. "Think of where we are!"

"I'm simply looking at his extraordinary flexibility and his realistic features- I swear, Old Man Kaseki gets better and better with every model!" Ryusui's hand suddenly cups Gen's crotch and Senku chokes on his champagne. "Hm. Still no artificial penis yet, I see."

"Ryusui!" Yuzuriha sqwalks, covering her eyes with both hands. Gen simply laughs and straightens his suit after Ryusui removes his hands.

"Not as of yet. Although, I do have a functioning-"

"And that's where we stop!" Senku says, shoving Gen away from the small group and towards the food tables. 

"It was nice to meet you all!" Gen calls over Senku's shoulder. 

Senku finally stops shoving at his back once they're far enough away from his small group of friends and sighs. "Don't encourage Ryusui," Senku massages his temples. "He's been trying to get the old man and Chrome to work out functioning sexes for ages now. It's not an easy concept."

"It's not," Gen agrees. "Which is why my, er," he lowers his voice, trying to be discreet in their crowded location, ""pleasuring facilities" are only a mockery of an actual orifice."

Senku blinks. And again.

"Your what?" 

"My… components?" Gen tries again, motioning to his bottom half. Senku stares at the crotch area of his slacks for a long moment before inhaling deeply and making eye contact with Gen once more.

"Are you telling me that there's… something there? You're not just androgynous?"

"I am," Gen nods, "I am mostly androgynous! I just also have a um. A-"

"A vaginal orifice?"

A random woman at the food table startles, jerking her head up to look at them, but Gen ignores her and nods. "If that's what you'd like me to call it, then yes. I have a semi-functioning vaginal orifice between my legs."

The woman scoffs, nose wrinkled in disgust, and drops her small plate on the table before storming away, but Senku is already deep in thought. "Now when you say Semi-functioning-"

"Senku-chan, correct me if I'm wrong," Gen smiles, "but it's not proper to be discussing anatomy at a friend's birthday celebration is it?"

"Well actually, in certain cases-"

With a fond eye roll, Gen takes Senku's hand in his own and leads him back towards his group of friends. "When we get home, I'll tell you absolutely anything you want to know about my vaginal orifice, alright?"

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise!"

\---

Senku doesn't remember their promise by the time Taiju carries him to bed. 

Senku doesn't usually drink much, but it was a night to celebrate and the alcohol had just kept flowing. At least Gen could say Senku wasn't the only one to be so thoroughly sloshed; Ruri had to show the guests out in Chrome's stead after he passed out on the upstairs sofa and Mozu had to throw Kohaku over his shoulder to make her leave the alcohol behind. Ryusui was beginning to strip when Yuzuriha pulled the car around front and Taiju hefted a sleepy Senku into his arms like he weighed nothing. 

The drive home had been full of pleasant conversation between Yuzuriha and Gen, mostly. About Senku's daily routine and how stubborn he can be. About how much she's looking forward to having a baby, even though she's very uncomfortable now. When Taiju was unloading Senku from the back seat, Yuzuriha had laid one small hand on his arm and gave him a soft smile. "Senku can be pretty troublesome, but he's a really great guy. Please take care of him for us."

The automatic lock clicks behind Taiju after he closes the front door and Gen sighs as he looks in on Senku, still mostly dressed in his tuxedo on the bed. He looks pitiful.

Thank goodness he has tomorrow off.

Gen quickly changes out of his own suit and, since he's unsure where to put it, hangs it in Senku's closet. He doesn't bother getting back into his regular clothes since he'll just be going to charge in his "room" soon anyways, but he does try to help Senku undress.

The scientist is laying on his back, arms and legs spread wide, so it makes unbuttoning the shirt and pants easy enough. He's able to tug the black pants free of Senku's hips with a little umph, but getting Senku's arms out of the nice dress shirt is a different problem. 

Gen jolts when Senku suddenly rolls over with a groan, loose shirt tails and sleeves flopping and heavy eyelids squinting open. "Gen?" He mumbles. The AI nods, stepping closer to the edge of the bed.

"I'm here, Senku-chan," he keeps his voice low, not wanting to chance setting off a painful headache for Senku. "How are you feeling? Do you need some water?" 

"You really _don't_ have a dick," Senku slurs. Gen blinks, surprised. He looks down at the black boxer briefs covering his crotch area and huffs, wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"No, I don't." He agrees. He begins tugging Senku's dress shirt off the rest of the way and Senku tries to be helpful, but Gen honestly isn't sure if him wiggling and rolling around is making any difference. He folds the shirt in half and drapes it carefully over the arm of the chair in the corner of Senku's room beside his pants before coming back to the bed. Senku is blinking blearily at the ceiling fan, cheeks still flushed from the alcohol, so Gen begins tugging the comforter over him.

"You promised to tell me about your vaginal orifice once we got home," Senku says, head lolling to the side to stare at Gen as he finishes tucking him in.

"Senku-chan," Gen says patiently, "you're very drunk. I don't think you'll even remember this in the morning. Wouldn't it make sense to wait until tomorrow when the alcohol has left your system and you can properly interrogate me?"

Senku purses his lips, eyebrows creasing as though in deep thought. "Perhaps…"

"Over breakfast then, yes?" Gen suggests as he makes his way to Senku's ensuite bathroom. "You can ask me anything you like and I'll tell you all about it."

Senku doesn't answer even as Gen rifles through the medicine cabinet for a bottle of ibuprofen and fills a small cup with water. When he returns to Senku's bedside, the scientist is already asleep again. Gen smiles as he leaves the medicine and water on the nightstand and turns out the light before making his last round around the apartment. He turns off lights and goes through his mental checklist as he steps into the small wardrobe-like case that is his charging area, before finally letting out a small sigh and closing his eyes.

CHARGING

BATTERY PERCENTAGE: 28

\---

The next morning, Gen doesn't bother waking Senku like usual. He does some light yoga and orders groceries. He cleans the windows in the apartment and does a load of laundry. He sweeps and mops and bakes an entire cake before he hears Senku stir. 

When he hears the shower start up, Gen smiles and starts a pot of coffee before pulling out some eggs and bacon. Greasy food is said to be best for a hangover, so Gen gets to work. The water is still running even after breakfast is finished and plated, and Gen begins to worry that maybe Senku had drowned in the shower, but before he makes it to the bedroom, the water cuts off. 

He changes direction then, and heads for the laundry room. By the time he has all the wet clothes into the dryer, Senku is seated at the bar in his sweatpants, damp hair framing his face as he rests his forehead on the chilled counter top.

"How are you feeling?" Gen asks cheerfully. Senku grunts. "I figured." Gen laughs. "Coffee and water should help."

"Coffee," Senku rasps. Gen pours him a large mug of the freshly brewed coffee and adds a couple spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk before setting it in front of Senku. The scientist pushes the hair out of his face as he sits up and gratefully takes the steaming mug.

"Thank you," he breathes. He sighs after the first sip. "It's good."

"Good!" Gen nods to himself as he rests his elbows on the kitchen counter and rests his chin in his palms. Senku has just brought the cup back to his lips for another sip when Gen asks "Would you still like to hear about my partially functioning vaginal orifice while you eat breakfast?"

Senku chokes on his coffee.


	3. The Longest Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gen has been doing his absolute best to be helpful to Senku. Cooking, cleaning, you name it!
> 
> When Senku steps out for a bit, Gen decides to clean the lab as well, hoping to make Senku smile- but it doesn't quite go the way Gen hoped it would.
> 
> -
> 
> "She sounds like a wonderful girl," Gen says, hands balled into fists beside his face. "I'm sure there's still time to catch her-" Hyoga's boot is removed from Gen's shoulder blades and unceremoniously forced into Gen's side, breaking something else inside of Gen. The force of the kick rolls Gen onto his back and he stares up at Hyoga, arms crossing over his stomach to avoid any more damage. Hyoga squats down beside Gen, eyes narrowed, and Gen doesn't have to see what's behind the medical mask to know that Hyoga is grinning; he can hear it in his voice.
> 
> "You know, I've always wondered how the other half fucks..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst Alert!
> 
> This chapter is not completely soft!  
> There are also mentions of off-screen sex between Gen and Hyoga!!  
> It's not graphic, nor is it a main focal point or something that will be happening again, but the mention is still there! Please be aware!
> 
> I haven't added a rape/non-con tag because I wasn't sure it qualified, but I will be adding a "Sexual Coercion" tag, because Gen isn't a human. However if, after reading the chapter, anyone feels it's necessary to add a rape/non-con tag, please let me know!
> 
> And that's about all for the warnings! Please enjoy~!

Gen is good at cooking and cleaning, Senku will give him that, but that’s about all Gen has going for him at this point. 

The first two weeks must have been the “Honeymoon phase”, because Senku and Gen got along great. Even though Gen was trying to herd him into a regular schedule, it wasn’t bad to have _some_ kind of schedule, so he allowed it. 

Gen’s cooking is good, don’t get him wrong, but it’s… different. Yuzuriha’s meals were all full of proteins and filling foods, because what she made was for Taiju, a construction worker who needed the extra boost. After all this time, Senku has gotten used to the heavier meals, but Gen’s meals are much lighter and more health conscious. 

“I calculated what would be best for you based on your overall health balance,” Gen had been so proud of himself. “You don’t really do enough exercises to work off a heavy meal, so I’ve limited the carbs and starches, and since you do a lot of mental work, I’ve added more foods with health benefits like fish and blueberries. More fiber as well, because I’ve noticed that you seem to have some trouble keeping regular-” Senku had made him stop talking at that point. He’s _10 billion percent_ not about to have a conversation about his irregular bowel movements with a _robot._

He could probably get past all of that as well, but what’s _really_ bogging Senku down is the _hovering._

Gen never seems to have enough to do. The house is always spotless, his clothes are always clean, sometimes even ironed, and Gen hasn’t forgotten to make a meal since that first week, and that’s great and all, but now that he’s on winter break and not at the school all day, Senku has to deal with Gen hovering over him _constantly._

“Do you need more tea, Senku-chan?”

“Should I massage your shoulders, Senku-chan?”

“Oh don’t get up! If there’s anything you need, I’ll be happy to get it for you, Senku-chan!”

It’s driving him absolutely _nuts._

Trying to do any kind of experiments in his lab is near impossible now with Gen constantly watching over his shoulder, or worse- leaning against the opposite end of the work table. Gen wants to help so badly, but Senku just wants him to _stop talking._

“Gen,” Senku finally snaps one day, slapping the soldering iron in his hand down on his desk with a smack and glaring at the AI currently examining the row of petri dishes in his fridge. 

“Yes?” Gen answers eagerly, springing up from his squatting position. Senku exhales slowly, trying to reign in his temper. 

Gen is an AI, Senku reminds himself. He doesn’t have human emotions or feelings. He can’t “read the room”. He doesn’t understand that he’s pestering Senku. He thinks he’s doing his best as a Personal Companion to take care of all of Senku’s needs. And maybe if Senku was someone else- someone who _liked_ being waited on hand and foot, it would be fine. If Senku wasn’t so used to doing everything by himself, maybe it wouldn’t be so suffocating. But as it stands, Senku can’t handle much more of this.

“Gen,” he says again, calmer. “Can I send you on an errand for me?” 

“Of course!” Gen smiles, tucking his hands into the baggy sleeves of his yukata jacket. “I’d be happy to.”

“I bet you would,” Senku laughs quietly. He doesn’t really _need_ anything from the convenience store right now, but even just ten minutes alone would be _fantastic._ “I want you to grab me a cola and some snacks. There’s a convenience store not far, but you probably already knew that.” He shifts on his stool so he can pull his wallet out of his pocket. 

Gen nods. “My GPS says that it’s only a twelve minute walk. I should be back in about half an hour, with allowances for traffic and the time it takes to pick snacks for you!" 

“Fantastic,” Senku grins, handing Gen a small wad of bills. “Grab the new Jump issue if they have it as well.”

\---

Gen hums to himself as he walks, smile soft as he swings the grocery bag at his side. 

Senku had finally sent him on an errand.

Gen had, admittedly, been going a little overboard with his fawning over Senku this last week, but it couldn't be helped! Since winter break began, Senku had been home every day from morning to night, minus the day he had to go check on the experiments in the lab at the college, and Gen was taking this opportunity to stick as close to Senku as possible and learn as much about the scientist as he can. 

So far, he's learned that the scientist doesn't like being hovered over. That's been made clear enough by the relief on Senku's face when Gen said he would be gone for half an hour. 

"Well," Gen sighs, lips twisted in a wry smile, "at least he was nice about it."

Senku also hasn't seemed to realize exactly what Chrome meant when he said Gen could learn things on his own, and he definitely hasn't read the manual they gave him either. While putting away groceries that first day, Senku had tucked the thick stack of papers into a kitchen drawer and that's where it still sits a month later. When Chrome told Senku he could "learn", he didn't just mean the basic things. Sure, he can download new recipes and learn new tasks, but so can Francois. 

No, what separates Gen from the rest of Kaseki and Chrome's line of Artificial Intelligence is his capability to learn human emotions. 

Kaseki had explained that as he went through his days and completed his tasks and interacted with others, he would gradually begin to be able to understand human emotions, and even feel them for himself. Gen hadn't been sure what to make of that, but the day he forgot to make dinner for Senku, he felt his first human emotion: guilt.

He'd never felt it before, but he knew right away what it was. It was… a sour feeling. 

His next emotion had been pride. Anytime Senku praises him for a job well done, he feels bubbling inside him like curry on the stove. 

Right now though, thinking about how Senku had him run a needless errand just to get some time away from Gen, the AI isn't quite certain how he feels. It's not quite guilt, and it's not quite shame, either… he's not really sure how to describe it. It's definitely not a pleasant emotion, but he can't find the words to express it. He frowns as he crosses the street, keeping a close eye out for traffic. 

Human emotions are weird.

He's only about a block away from the apartment complex when he feels another presence. Make that multiple presences… all following Gen.

Gen clutches his grocery bag a little tighter and hunches his shoulders as he picks up the pace. He doesn't know how many people are following him, or who they are, but he doesn't want to take any chances while carrying Senku's money around. He might be an AI, but he was absolutely _not_ made for combat. The M4G-M4 would be more suited for that, or even the TQZ, but Gen was made much like Ryusui's AI; slim and compact with more of a focus on intelligence. 

Gen quickly keys in the code to the apartment complex on the small panel beside the front gate, shifting impatiently as the glass doors slide open to allow him entry. He doesn't relax until the doors slide shut again, locking with a soft snap behind him. 

He doesn't see anyone outside the complex when he turns to look, but that doesn't mean there wasn't someone following him. Gen tries to think positively as he rides the elevator up to Senku's apartment. 

It was probably just a couple on their way home from a night out, or even a group of half-drunken salary men. He probably watched one too many crime dramas and spooked himself, but better safe than sorry.

\---

Gen is so excited he can hardly stand it. Today is the day all his hovering has paid off! 

Senku has finally decided to let him help with his work! 

It’s not a big job, but Senku has been asking Gen to bring him things from around the lab all morning. A vial of this, a container of that. Gen feels like he’s on cloud nine when Senku asks him to make a quick dinner while he runs up to check on the experiments at the college lab. The college is a thirty minute trip one way, so Gen knows he’ll have close to two hours before Senku comes back. 

Instead of going straight to the kitchen after Senku leaves, Gen heads back to the lab. It’ll only take half an hour or so to whip up something for Senku-chan, so he decides to tidy up the lab before Senku gets back! “Senku will be so proud~” Gen sing songs.

He’s not _technically_ supposed to be in the lab without Senku, but he’s been helping Senku all morning, and the scientist _did_ leave the door open… 

Gen hums as he tidies up Senku’s notes, setting them all into one neat pile in the center of the table, and wipes down the counter tops. As he’s walking past the sink, he notices a couple petri dishes sitting on the counter next to the small freezer and pauses. Inside the fridge are three more petri dishes, all marked with the same date, and Gen sighs. “Senku-chan, you can be really forgetful at times, huh?” He’s careful not to jostle anything that may be growing in the dishes as he sticks them into the fridge beside the other three before continuing to wipe down the counters and shelves. 

“Only ten minutes and the lab already looks better!” Gen smiles as he closes the lab door behind himself and heads to the laundry room. “I’ll swap over the laundry and then start on lunch, and Senku will be so surprised when he gets home~” 

\---

“I’m back!” Senku calls as the door closes. 

“Impeccable timing as always~” Gen calls, setting Senku’s lunch on the bar counter. “I just finished dinner!”

“Smells fantastic,” Senku is smiling when he passes by the kitchen. “I’ll be right back to eat. I gotta put this stuff away.” Gen hums an affirmative as he begins washing the dishes he used to cook with. He’d decided to try something new since Senku bought a pineapple a few days ago and came up with pineapple glazed salmon and rice. Senku loves sweet things, so hopefully he’ll enjoy it. Gen can’t help but wish he was able to taste food as well; it would make cooking so much easier. 

_“GEN!”_ Gen startles at Senku’s sudden and angry shout. _“WHAT DID YOU DO?!”_ Gen has never felt fear before, but he feels it now. He sets the pan down in the sink and grabs the dish towel, quickly making his way across the living room as he dries his hands. 

“Senku-chan, is something wrong??” Senku is standing in the middle of the newly cleaned lab, his brown satchel at his feet and hands fisted in his hair. “Sen-”

_“What_ did you _do?”_ He asks again. If Gen had a heart it would be in his throat right now. 

“I… I cleaned up a little around the lab, after you left,” Gen says quietly, eyes flitting around the room, trying desperately to find what’s unsatisfactory- “I swept, and wiped down the counters, a-and put all your notes in one spot. I noticed you’d forgotten some petri dishes on the counter, so I put them in the freezer-” 

“No no no-” Senku bolts over to the freezer and Gen can feel the unease creeping in- the guilt. _“Damn it!”_ Senku slams his fist down on the counter and Gen jolts in place. “Three months of work, _ruined.”_

“S-senku-chan?” Gen takes a tentative step forward, fingers gripping the towel in his hands tighter. 

“Get out,” Senku doesn’t look up from the counter. 

“I-”

“Get out! Out!!” Senku finally roars, whirling on Gen, and the AI freezes in place. Senku is _furious._ Gen doesn’t tremble, but only because of his stabilizers. He ducks his head and hurries out of the lab, still clutching the kitchen towel tightly. He doesn’t even pause to slide on his shoes or the new cloak from Kohaku and Mozu before he’s rushing out the front door and into the elevator. His internal fans are working double time and his thoughts are jumbled completely- he feels like he’s malfunctioning. 

Gen doesn’t know where he’s going as he leaves the apartment complex, but still he walks, his legs and feet bare to the cold December night air. He supposes it doesn’t matter one way or another whether or not he’s clothed considering he can’t get sick, but it does earn him more than a few stares as he walks. Gen ducks into the small alleyway beside the convenience store and sits on the back steps before tucking his arms inside the sleeves of his kimono jacket. His inner commands and programming still feel out of whack. He’s never felt like this before, and honestly, he isn’t sure what to do about it. In the safety of the alleyway, Gen runs a self diagnosis. If he can figure out what the problem is, he can have Senku send word to Master Kaseki and… 

Gen pauses, suddenly unsure of his future. 

Though he’s not sure exactly what he did wrong, Gen knows he must have done something horrible- unforgivable, even, if the way Senku looked at him is any indication. He thought cleaning the lab would make Senku happy, would make him _proud,_ but it seems Gen crossed a line that he shouldn’t have. How does he fix this? How does he make this better?? Things had been going so well! Senku was letting him help- Senku was getting _used_ to him! How does he go back to the way things were three hours ago, with Senku smiling at him as he passes him beakers and test tubes?

Gen wrings his hands together, trying to find the right answer, but the jumbled up feeling is getting worse the longer he dwells on the situation. Gen inhales deeply, trying to stabilize his inner fans, and exhales slowly before closing his eyes and beginning his self diagnosis. 

He can’t do anything about the situation with Senku if he falls apart here.

\---

It only takes ten minutes for his scan to come back clean but Gen spends another twenty minutes scouring the internet for potential solutions with absolutely no results. 

It makes sense, considering there are less than fifty Personal Companions in existence, and only a handful of people own them. Of course there wouldn’t be any quick fixes online. He did, however, find a few videos of Ryusui bragging about the AI he owns. If Gen were a human who owned four AI, he’d probably brag about it too. Or maybe he wouldn’t. It’s always difficult to know what he would do as a human considering he’s _not,_ nor will he _ever_ be, a human. 

He’s supposed to be _special._ Something new that the world has never seen before, something the world has only ever dreamed of. His ability to learn human emotions is nothing less than incredible. Gen knows, even without them having to say it, that Kaseki and Chrome have high hopes for him. But human emotions don’t mean a thing if he isn’t sure how to _work them._

He can identify them, sure, but what does he _do_ with them??

What does he do with the guilt and sadness he feels right now? What does he do with his unease? His fear? 

How does he counter _other_ human’s emotions? How does he stop Senku from being sad and angry? 

The human world doesn’t run on lines of code and strict commands and it’s scary and confusing. 

Gen curls his knees closer to his chest and hides his face in them.

He wants to go home and charge for the rest of the night and forget about what happened today- to start again tomorrow and have everything be normal again, but would Senku even want him back? 

He's been hovering over Senku the last couple weeks while he was on vacation, and it was pretty obvious how annoyed Senku was by him being around constantly. Maybe today was the last straw. Maybe he's calling Kaseki now, telling him to come and collect Gen first thing in the morning. Gen wouldn't blame him if he did. 

Though Gen was supposed to make Senku's life easier, it seems all he's done is stress the scientist out further. Gen sighs again as he pushes to his feet anyways. Whatever he does, he definitely can't stay out here all night. 

It hasn't even been an hour since he left the apartment, so there's no way he can go back there- not yet- so Gen takes the long way home, around the pond and through the park. He averts his eyes from the couples in the bushes and pretends he doesn't hear the tell-tale sounds of sex behind trees and makes a mental note to _never_ cross through this part of the park at night again.

When his internal clock says it's nearing eleven, Gen circles around and begins his trek home. He still plans to walk slow, putting him home around midnight. That would be nearly four hours after he left, so hopefully plenty of time for the scientist to have cooled off. If not, well…

He's just gotten into the residential area when he feels it again- someone is watching him. 

He's felt it often the last few times he went out with Senku, but this time, he's alone and far from home. Gen is beginning to feel like he did earlier after Senku shouted at him; his internal fans are beginning to work harder and his thoughts are jumbled. He's not sure what to do now. There's a corner up ahead- maybe if he turns the corner and gets a running start-

The silver haired man who rounds the corner is tall. He's lanky but obviously muscled and carrying a baseball bat. Gen can't see much of his face because of the shadows and the black medical mask covering his nose and mouth, but he doesn't have to to know he's in danger. Gen quickly turns to face the other direction but he comes face to face with a pink haired woman about his own size. A heavy hand clamps down on his shoulder and Gen is forced to realize that these two are much faster than he is. 

"Sorry to bother you so late at night," the man's voice is low, smooth. "But we'd like to have a little chat with you."

"You certainly don't seem very sorry for cornering an innocent bystander this late at night," peers at the man over his shoulder. "Why, one might think you had a habit of doing such things with how practiced you seem."

"Mm, does it seem that way?" The man says, gently pushing Gen back in the direction he came from. "Well, I apologize again, then. You see," he ushers Gen down the alley to his right, "my friends and I… we missed the last train, and we're a little strapped for cash. It sure would be nice if you could help us pay for a taxi."

In the alley, there are three other men, all completely obvious with their leering and smug grins. When the silver haired stranger finally lets go of him to walk around in front of him, Gen tucks his hands into the sleeves of his kimono jacket again and smiles. 

"Why, I hate to hear that! You poor dears, out in this cold with no way to get home- it's just terrible!" Gen croons. The leader of the strangers doesn't seem amused. "But, if it's money you're after, I'm afraid I'm worse off than you fine fellows. I don't even have shoes!" Gen wiggles his toes, drawing their attention to his feet. 

"Well isn't that just cruel of your Daddy then?" The man folds his arms over his chest, "Sending you out in the cold with no pants or shoes. I've seen how he treats you most days," the man continues. "That fur cloak, the matching muffler…"

Gen's suspicions are confirmed. These are the people who have been watching him recently. Ice cold fingers grip his chin, tipping his head up to meet even colder eyes.

"If Daddy sent you out like this then it's surely a punishment for that smart mouth." Gen meets his gaze steadily and the man's brows crease. He stares at Gen for another long moment before squeezing Gen's chin harder and mumbling "What the hell _are_ you?"

"Hyoga?" The pink haired girl tentatively breaks the silence. Hyoga lets go of Gen's chin to step back and give him another look over.

"Change in plans," Hyoga says, quickly stepping behind Gen and wrapping his well muscled forearm around Gen's neck. "Strip him." Two of the men move forward instantly as Gen struggles in Hyoga's hold. 

"Let go of me!" He swings at the two yanking on his clothes but his lilac robe is stripped away easily. The obi seems to give them a little more trouble, so Gen kicks out at them. His foot catches one man in the stomach, sending him staggering back a few steps, but with his legs in the air, Hyoga's forearm around his neck is the only thing keeping him upright. It doesn't bother Gen, though. He doesn't need oxygen to function like a normal human being would. Hyoga can hold him as tightly as he'd like- it still wont impede Gen's attempts to escape.

Hyoga realizes this, though, because he drops Gen before he can get his balance back and Gen tumbles onto his hands and knees. Hyoga is on him in an instant, sitting on Gen's shoulders and pinning his face to the gravel beneath them. Gen's arms are useless like this, and his flailing legs aren't making contact with anyone- he really, really wasn't made for fighting like this!

He hears the click of a pocket knife being flicked open and cranes his neck, trying to see what's happening, but he doesn't have to try hard. Hyoga's hand fists in his hair, dragging his head off the pavement and Gen feels the quick slash of cold metal across his throat before his head is dropped again. The woman screams but still Hyoga doesn't move-

"What the fuck, Hyoga?!"

"Oh my god-"

"Dude- that wasn't the plan!! You said- you said we would rough him up a bit!!"

"Oh my _god!"_

"Nah, fuck that- I'm not going down for _murder-"_

Gen lays perfectly still as he listens to the sound of the other four attackers run away, hoping maybe Hyoga will think he's dead if he doesn't move- 

"I knew it," Hyoga laughs, crawling off Gen before flipping him over roughly. Gen blinks up at Hyoga, right hand coming up to tentatively prod at the area Hyoga cut. The artificial skin has been slashed, but none of the components beneath the skin feel damaged- "You're one of those automatic sex bots the rich bitches have."

"And there you have it," Gen purses his lips. "I'm not a real boy, so I can guarantee I don't have any money for you to extort, and as I'm out here in the dead of winter without even a coat, you can surely see that my master wouldn't pay a ransom." Gen sits up and tugs the folds of his kimono tighter. If Hyoga wants to think he's just some robotic sex toy, let him. It's better for him this way. 

Gen pushes to his feet but Hyoga throws his leg out, sweeping the AI's legs out from beneath him again. He lands hard on his hip and forearm, narrowly avoiding smashing his face into the concrete again. Hyoga's boot is large and heavy on his lower back, keeping Gen pinned to the ground.

"Not so fast," Hyoga drawls. "Your little pretending to be dead stunt ran my woman off. I was planning to beat the shit out of some rich snob's boytoy, snag some cash, and then call it a night with her." He grinds the heel of his boot into Gen's back and he can feel his wires and circuits shifting dangerously. "She's whiny and clingy, not really good for much, but she'd do _anything_ for me, you know..?" Something inside of Gen cracks- he feels it. Hyoga is going to _destroy_ him in this back alley.

"She sounds like a wonderful girl," Gen says, hands balled into fists beside his face. "I'm sure there's still time to catch her-" Hyoga's boot is removed from Gen's shoulder blades and unceremoniously forced into Gen's side, breaking something else inside of Gen. The force of the kick rolls Gen onto his back and he stares up at Hyoga, arms crossing over his stomach to avoid any more damage. Hyoga squats down beside Gen, eyes narrowed, and Gen doesn't have to see what's behind the medical mask to know that Hyoga is grinning; he can hear it in his voice.

"You know, I've always wondered how the other half fucks..."

\---

Senku sighs, rolling his shoulder as he sits up from his hunched position over his work table. His shoulders and neck are aching, telling him he's been hunched over far too long, but he had no choice. 

Three months worth of work, down the drain. 

It would take another three months, at the least, to reach that point again, so he had to start _now._ But to do that, he had to find the notes he had made when he first began, which meant searching the pile of notes Gen had stacked all together and then putting them in his own order again. He had to dispose of all the samples, even the ones in the freezer, and start again from scratch- it took _hours,_ but he's finally at the starting line again. 

He didn't expect it to be nearing one am, but it would make sense. He's been one man working on something that he originally had Chrome help him begin last September. Now that he's got his lab in order again, he can eat something quick before heading to bed. Senku rolls his neck as he walks, trying to loosen some of the tension he feels at the base of his skull, but he pauses when he sees the dinner Gen made for him still sitting on the bar. He sighs, guilt gnawing at him.

He was too harsh.

Gen was just trying to help and he thought cleaning the lab would be the best way to do that. This was partially Senku’s fault; if he had given Gen clearer instructions, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. If he had explained _why_ he didn’t want Gen in the lab without him, or even just told Gen specifically what not to touch. Senku runs a hand through his hair as he sighs again. 

He needs to apologize.

“Gen?” Senku calls, changing course and heading towards Gen’s wardrobe. “Can we talk?” The door remains firmly shut and Senku frowns. “Gen?” He calls again, knocking on the door. The control panel lights up at Senku’s touch. Senku taps the release button and the doors pop open with a soft click, revealing it’s empty interior. Gen isn’t in his charging area. 

“Gen??” Senku whirls around, looking around the apartment for any signs of the AI, but finding none, he frantically pats his pockets and rushes back to the lab, looking for his phone. When he finds his cell phone on the corner of the table, he opens the GPS locator on his phone, tapping his foot impatiently as he waits for the program to load. 

The application is one he helped Chrome develop to help keep track of the Personal Companions. Since they’re rare and very expensive, the added protection of a GPS chip makes everyone feel a little safer. Senku keys in Gen’s code as soon as the prompt pops up on the screen before quickly striding through the living room. He’s already tugging his coat on when the phone chimes and a little blue dot pops up on the screen. 

“What the hell is he doing there?” Senku frowns at the little blue dot as he shoves his feet into his shoes. The little blue dot shows Gen isn’t too far away, but he isn’t moving. He’s too far into the residential area to be inside a store… Senku’s frown deepens as he grabs his house keys and rushes out the door.

Thunder rumbles in the distance when Senku steps out of the apartment complex, making Senku tug his jacket tighter around his body. He needs to find Gen quickly, before it begins to rain. It’s cold enough now that the rain might even freeze. Gen might not be a human, but it’s still not good for him to be out in weather like that.

The closer he gets to the spot Gen is supposed to be, the more anxious Senku gets. There are definitely no businesses in this area. Had Gen been kidnapped? 

The phone chimes, letting Senku know that he’s within fifty feet of Gen and Senku stops to look around; there’s absolutely no sign of the AI anywhere. Senku frowns at the screen, confused. Fifty feet..? That would mean… Senku races around the corner ahead. “Gen?!” He shouts into the alley. He squints, trying to see in the darkness. “Gen?!” He calls again, shining his cell phone flashlight down the alley. 

Senku doesn't see anything other than a dumpster and a few bags of trash. Even stepping further into the alley, he doesn't find anything. The GPS says he should be right on top of Gen right now, though. Something near the mouth of the alleyway sparkles when the light of Senku's flashlight passes over it and Senku steps closer to get a good look at it. Senku's breath catches when he realizes what it is.

It's Gen's anklet.

\---

If Senku had waited another ten minutes before rushing off to search for Gen, he would have been at home when Gen picked the lock on their front door. In his haste to leave earlier, not only did Gen not wear his cloak or shoes, he left his spare house key as well. Gen makes due, though, with a paperclip he finds in the hallway. He closes the door softly, trying not to wake Senku, but frowns when he sees that though all the lights are still on, Senku's shoes and jacket are gone.

"Has he been gone all evening? With the lights on??" Gen clicks his tongue as he makes his way into the kitchen. He sighs when he sees the uneaten food on the counter and the dishes still in the sink. He stops before he grabs the plate, the alert inside him reminding him that he has more pressing matters to deal with. It's just as well that Senku isn't home; Gen doesn't want Senku to see him like this.

He heads to the laundry room first, stripping off his kimono and obi before carefully unlacing the turtleneck shirt beneath. He doesn't know where his underwear ended up, but he knows his kimono jacket went into the dumpster after he cleaned himself off the best he could in the alley. Hyoga might have worn a condom when he used his facilities, but Gen still ended up covered in the brute's semen. 

_"I'm sure you're plenty used to it,"_ Hyoga had laughed. Gen frowns when he finds his abdomen still sticky with spend. 

He pads through the living room and into the bathroom, scowl deepening when he sees himself in the mirror. The "skin" of his throat is gaping a bit, revealing the shiny plating covering his wires beneath it. His face is dirty, as are his hands and feet, and Gen knows he can't let Senku see him like this. 

The alert goes off again and Gen sighs, once again padding through the living room naked. He pauses outside the lab, hand hovering over the doorknob. 

The last time he was in here without the scientist, Senku ended up so angry he ran Gen out of the apartment… is he really going to go in there again..? 

Right now, he's damaged internally- the alert inside him won't let him forget it. If he doesn't fix it before Senku gets home, he'll have to tell Senku, and that would just be another burden on the man. Gen's already put him through so much, today alone.

Thinking about it like that makes the decision obvious.

Gen pushes the door open and peers around at the carefully organized supplies and piles of notes. It looks almost the way it did before Gen cleaned this afternoon, and Gen makes a mental note to not disturb anything more than he has to. He takes a seat on the edge of the work bench and feels around on his lower abdomen, ignoring the sticky patches until he finds the small dip in his skin and presses in. His control panel slides open easily, and Gen cranes his neck to see inside himself. 

It's easy enough to pinpoint the problem with his troubleshooting software, and Senku thankfully has all the tools he needs, but Gen has never done this before- especially not to himself! It's hard to hold the other wires out of the way while hunched over and still be able to see inside yourself and only solder _one_ wire. Just because you have the knowledge, it doesn't mean you can do it in practice.

The alert finally stops chiming every other minute, though, so Gen must be doing something right. Once the main panel is taken care of, he opens the smaller one on his hip and feels around. He heard something break earlier, but he's not sure- ah.

He pulls out a broken memory card, the size of his palm, and purses his lips. "That doesn't look good," he murmurs. Senku doesn't have any spare memory cards- Gen would have noticed them while helping earlier today. He scratches the side of his head as he stares at the broken card, unsure of what to do. Does he… Should he tell Senku he needs a new one..? 

But then Senku would ask what happened, and he'd have to explain the alley and how he let another man-

"I don't really _need_ a memory card," Gen says to himself, slapping his panel covers closed quickly. "I have an internal memory storage, and it's only at 30% capacity. I'll be perfectly fine," Gen assures himself as he drops the card into the trash can. He takes care to put everything back exactly where Senku had it before heading to the kitchen to search for the superglue in the "junk drawer". A couple dots of the glue under his artificial skin and careful hands have his skin back in place in a matter of seconds. Gen turns this way and that, stretching his neck to test the elasticity, and it looks perfect.

No one should be able to tell his skin was ever separated in the first place.

He takes a quick shower and scrubs his body well, trying to erase any trace of Hyoga that might be left on his body, before wrapping up in one of Senku's large fluffy towels and padding through the living room again. He swaps his clothes into the dryer before heading into Senku's room and picking out a pair of the scientist's boxer briefs to wear for the night. 

He's lived here a month now, and accumulated a few new outfits, but he still doesn't have much in the way of lounge wear or underclothes. He loves window shopping while they're out, but he'd never be able to ask Senku for them. He's just grateful the man has given him what he has; it isn't his place to ask for more. 

Hair still damp from the shower, Gen heads for the kitchen, prepared to clean up the failed dinner attempt, when the front door opens. He's not sure why, but he pauses, halfway between the kitchen and living room, almost like a deer caught in the headlights of a rapidly oncoming car.

He listens as Senku's shoes are hastily kicked off and his jacket hits the floor of the entryway. Senku looks upset, hair mussed and face pinched as he storms up the hallway. When he sees Gen, he freezes in place as well, eyes widening.

"Gen??" He blinks, runs a hand through his hair, messing it up further. "When did you get back??"

"Ah- A half hour ago, maybe?" Gen hadn't been paying attention to the clock, honestly, but half an hour sounds right. Senku's shoulders sag, hands coming up to cover his face, and Gen is suddenly worried that maybe he shouldn't have come back at all. "Was I… should I leave..? I-"

"No," Senku shakes his head quickly, hands falling away from his face so Gen can see him properly, "no, you don't need to go anywhere, I just-" he laughs, and it sounds forced. "I've been out looking for you for the better part of an hour now, and all I found was your anklet, so I got worried-" Gen hadn't even noticed the anklet had fallen off while he was out and about.

"I'm sorry." 

"I'm sorry."

Gen pauses. He knows that _he's_ the one that just apologized, but for some reason, it sounded like Senku had-?

"No, I'm sorry," Senku says again. "Shouting at you earlier was too much," he continues, coming closer to Gen. "You were only trying to help, and I… I was an asshole. I should have given you clearer instructions and explained why I didn't want you in the lab, but I didn't and that's my oversight, so, I'm sorry."

Gen isn't really sure what to say to that. He's still stuck on the part where Senku went out to look for him in the middle of the night. Senku's stomach growling loudly and the scientist ducking his head in embarrassment saves him from having to give a proper response.

“Senku-chan, you still haven’t eaten anything, have you?” Gen smiles politely. “Let me fix you something quick." Senku is quiet for a long minute, just watching Gen, before nodding.

"Yeah. Please do," Senku's own smile is soft, grateful, and Gen heads towards the kitchen again. The plate of salmon and rice gets dumped in the trash and set in the sink as Gen quickly skims his recipe folder, trying to find something quick and easy, but not too heavy since it’s already so late at night- “Oh, hang on.”

“Hm?” Gen turns around as Senku rounds the kitchen counter, his eyes widening when Senku kneels in front of him.

“Lift your foot?” He raises his left foot and Senku carefully clasps his anklet back on. “There,” he murmurs. “That’s better.” Senku stands and tips his head from side to side, stretching the muscles in his neck, and sighs. “I’m going to change clothes.”

Gen stares at the anklet on his foot for a long moment, listening to Senku mumbling to himself about everything he needs to do tomorrow, and he wonders what this new emotion bubbling to the forefront of his mind is. 

Whatever it is, when Gen sets Senku’s plate in front of him, he can feel himself smiling softly- a real smile, not one of those crowd pleasing, polite and business-like smiles he puts on for most people. 

Senku is changing him. For better or worse, he honestly isn’t sure yet, but when Senku smiles and tells him how good his cooking is, Gen doesn’t think it matters. It’s only been a month, but he’d do anything to make Senku happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I've mentioned it or not, but I also have a Twitter where I post snippets of my WIPs and artwork, post the occasional story thread, and retweet lots of anime content.  
> Feel free to check it out if you'd like!  
> @MariTheBusyBeee


	4. Birthday Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Senku is old enough that one little kiss doesn't mean much to him...
> 
> But for Gen?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter has taken so long! ;o;
> 
> But, I'm here with quality Poly Parenting and drunken (or tipsy, more like) birthday party games for our scientist! <3

When Senku wakes up on his birthday, he’s not expecting to open his eyes and find Gen laying in bed beside him, face only a foot from his own, watching Senku sleep.

"What the frick," Senku's voice is still scratchy from sleep. Gen's smile widens when Senku slips one hand out from under the covers to rub at tired eyes.

"Happy Birthday, Senku-chan!" Gen tosses a handful of flower petals into the air and Senku closes his eyes tightly against the shower of pink and yellow. After a beat, he cracks one eye open to give the AI a half-hearted glare.

"Really?"

"Really!" Gen sits up, sunshiney smile on his face. "I wanted to be the very first one to wish you a happy birthday! And considering your fathers will be here in a couple hours, I decided to be the first thing you saw when you woke up as well."

"Ugh," Senku drags a hand down his face. "The old man  _ is _ coming over, isn't he?"

"Indeed~" Gen slips off the side of the bed and starts towards the kitchen. "Their flight will be landing in an hour, so I'll be making breakfast if you need me~!"

\---

"SENKU-CHAAAAN~!" Senku winces. Normally he would step out of the way of his father's bear hugs, but he allows this one since it’s been so long. “Happy birthday,  _ my son!” _

“It’s good to see you too, dad,” Senku sighs. “Dr. Xeno.” he gives the scientist a polite nod when he steps around the pair hugging in the front entryway.

“Son-in-law,” Xeno returns Senku’s greeting. Byakuya shows no signs of letting Senku go, even when Stanley side-steps them as well. 

“Alright, that’s enough, thanks,” Senku begins pushing at the older man’s shoulders and he steps back easily enough- but he keeps his arm thrown over Senku’s shoulders as he makes his way into the living area as well. 

“It’s been over a year since I’ve seen you!! I need to recharge!” 

“If anyone needs time to recharge, I think it would be me,” Xeno quips from his seat on the sofa. “Listening to you whine about how much you missed Japanese food for the last year and a half has been a true test of patience.”

_ “Rude!”  _ Byakuya clings tighter to Senku. “You hear the way your Mama talks to me?!”

“Which one of us is Senku’s mother?” Xeno raises a brow. Senku rolls his eyes and Byakuya opens his mouth to retort but he pauses when he hears the front door open again.

“Senku-chan, they were out of chocolate cakes, so I got coffee flavored instead- is that alright? Should I have gone with a second vanilla instead? I know you don’t really like coffee after- oh,” he pauses in the kitchen. “Looks like I’m running a little late!” 

“You’re not late,” Senku says, breaking free from Byakuya’s hold and making his way to the kitchen. “They’re just early.”

“Oh. Should I make tea? I brought- ah, where did it go?” Gen starts rifling through the shopping bags on his arm and Senku shakes his head, lips quirked up in a small smile.

“It might be easier to find what you’re looking for if you put the bags  _ down.” _ Gen sets the bags down on the counter with a click of his tongue. 

“That’s why you’re the scientist, I guess,” he teases. He scoots the cupcakes to the side and begins unloading the bags while humming quietly to himself.

“Ahem,” Byakuya clears his throat, drawing Senku’s attention. He jerks his head at Gen, eyes wide, and Senku blinks. Byakuya clicks his tongue.  _ “Well?” _

_ “Well  _ what?” Senku picks up one of the apples rolling across the counter and sets it in Gen’s outstretched hand without looking at the AI. 

“I’m pretty sure he’s wondering if you’re going to introduce us to your boyfriend,” Stanley supplies, taking a seat on the arm of the couch beside Xeno. Gen fumbles the apples in his hands. 

_ “Boyfriend,” _ Gen laughs breathlessly as he squats down to pick up the apples. He looks up at Senku, amused grin on his face. “Senku-chan, am I your boyfriend?”

“Absolutely not,” Senku laughs. “I’m not that desperate yet.”

“You’re cruel, Senku-chan!!” Gen cries. 

“This is Gen,” Senku motions to the pouting AI once he’s standing upright again. "G3N-001, to be more precise."

"Oh," Byakuya blinks, surprised. "I didn't know you bought an assistant!"

"I was more of a gift he couldn't refuse," Gen smacks Senku's hand off the small, pink cupcake box. "Since Senku-chan is so impatient, shall I make tea?"

\---

Senku's family might seem complex to outsiders, but Gen gets the picture pretty quickly. It helps that Kaseki gave him what knowledge of Senku's family he had, for sure, but Xeno and Byakuya don't shy away from the topic.

Byakuya had been a young father who raised Senku mostly on his own, which meant Senku came to work with him many days. Xeno had been charmed by Senku's brilliance, and never minded sitting and telling the boy about anything he wanted to know about for hours on end while Byakuya was teaching or in his own training. 

Stanley had been Xeno's partner for much longer than Xeno had known Byakuya, so the older man had intended to not pursue anything further, but Stanley made it abundantly clear that he didn't mind either way.

"I don't decide what Xeno does and doesn't do," Stanley pauses to exhale a mouthful of smoke. "If he wanted to screw around with another scientist, that was fine by me. As long as he knew I didn't have the slightest idea what to do with a four year old."

"You were so great with Senku, though!" Byakuya gushes. "He loved you almost from the get-go!"

"He loved the suckers Stan kept in his pockets because he couldn't smoke inside the facility," Xeno snorts.

"So you're who I have to blame for his sweet tooth!" Gen laughs. 

The lighthearted banter and conversation goes on for a while, even after Gen takes all the plates and cups to the kitchen and begins washing dishes by himself. Watching Senku laugh and enjoy himself makes something bubble up inside Gen- that odd feeling that he's not sure what to call yet. 

He watches Senku's eyes light up when Xeno brings up his current research topic, and Gen grins when the younger scientist begins speaking with his hands and motioning excitedly the longer they talk. Xeno relaxes more as well the longer the conversation goes on, and Gen can see exactly where Senku got so many of his mannerisms just watching the three men seated on their couch. He's so focused on Senku he doesn't even realize Stanley has been watching him until he looks away from Senku and meets the older man's gaze.

Gen smiles before ducking his head and washing off the plate that he's been distractedly scrubbing for the better part of ten minutes. If he were human, he's sure his cheeks would be flushed with embarrassment right now, but thankfully, it's only an internal heat. He feels his internal fans quietly whir to life and resolutely doesn't look up, even though he can still feel Stanley's eyes on him.

When Byakuya and Xeno follow Senku back to the lab, Stanley remains seated, and an odd silence fills the room. Gen licks his lips, fingers interlocked behind himself, and he's honestly not sure what to say to break tension in the room.

Is it tense?

It feels a little tense.

Maybe it's just him?? After all, he's still learning how to read the room. Maybe this is normal??

"So, Gen," Stanley drawls, pushing to his feet and making his way to the bar. Gen smiles on the other side of the counter, trying not to let his nervousness show.

"Yes?"

"You sure you're not a real person?" Gen blinks, surprised. "Because you don't seem like any AI I've ever seen, and let me tell you," he slides onto one of the bar stools, making himself comfortable without taking his eyes off Gen. "Working alongside those three for as long as I have? I've seen more than my fair share of artificial intelligence."

Gen can’t help the small laugh he lets out. “Are you asking me if I’m pretending to be a robot in order to take advantage of Senku-chan?” 

“Is that what I’m asking?” Stanley raises a brow, props his elbow on the counter.

“Is it not?” Gen counters. 

“Maybe I’m just wondering why it looks like you’re pining for a human when you’re supposed to be pre-programmed and unable to have psychological reactions to outside stimulus,” Stanley smirks at Gen’s surprised reaction. “Yeah, that’s right. I know the big words too.”

Gen laughs quietly and tucks a stray strand of hair behind his ear. “I didn’t assume you wouldn’t.” Gen lifts his cream colored turtleneck and raps his knuckles against his stomach, smiling at the hollow-ish sound it makes. “I’m definitely a robot,” he assures, dropping his shirt, “but I’m unlike any other AI you’ve ever met.” He winks and Stanley huffs another laugh. 

“I’m seeing that,” he mumbles. The man is just reaching into his pocket for his pack of cigarettes when the group of scientists exits the lab. 

“I guess we should probably get to the hotel and unpack. I wish we could stay for the party tonight, but I can’t miss the lecture,” Byakuya whines. 

“You’re too old for parties anyways,” Xeno rolls his eyes. 

“I’m still young! I’m- I’m still  _ cool!  _ Aren’t I, Senku?!” Byakuya turns to Senku wide eyed, bottom lip thrust out in a pout.

“Not even one millimeter,” Senku deadpans. Byakuya clutches his chest.

“Mortally wounded by your own son,” Stanley shakes his head sadly. “How will you ever go on?” Xeno finally gets Byakuya’s over-dramatic self out the front door and waves to Senku.

“We’ll visit again before we fly back,” Xeno promises. Stanley pauses in the doorway as he tugs on his leather jacket. He turns to face Senku, unlit cigarette balanced precariously between his lips.

“Be careful with that AI of yours,” he glances over Senku’s shoulder, eyes following Gen as he carries a basket of laundry across the living room. 

“Careful?” Senku frowns, confused. 

“Take care of him, I mean,” Stanley rephrases. He reaches into the pocket of his jacket and pulls out a yellow and white lollipop. He hands it to Senku before ruffling the young scientist’s already messy hair and smiles. “See ya, Kid.”

“I’m already twenty-five,” Senku mumbles to himself as he closes the door. “I don’t need lollipops anymore.”

He still eats it, though.

\---

Senku’s birthday party, like most other “intimate” events, is held at Ryusui’s flat.

After what happened at Chrome’s birthday party, Senku is adamant about not drinking, no matter what Kohaku has to say about it. The rest of the guests have no such qualms, though. Francois and Amaryllis circle between the bar and kitchen most of the evening, refilling the food trays and refreshing drinks. 

"Can AI eat and drink stuff?" Yuzuriha asks Gen when she sees him filling a plate with finger foods. 

"Not in the traditional sense, no," Gen smiles. "I have a small storage space inside me though, almost like a stomach, for emergency situations."

"What kind of emergency?" Yuzuriha asks, confused. Gen hums.

"Well," he hands the plate to Senku when the scientist walks up before dusting his hands off and rounding the table to stand beside Yuzuriha. Senku seems surprised but he dutifully holds the plate and munches on the hors d'oeuvres. "If there's ever a situation where Senku-chan were somewhere without water and needed some, as long as he filled me up prior, I could give him water."

"How would you get the water back out?" Yuzuriha tilts her head curiously. "Is there a panel or..?"

"As far as I know, the only way into or out of my stomach is through my mouth, so I would need to regurgitate the water back into my mouth and then pass it to Senku baby bird style,” Gen laughs when Yuzuriha scrunches her nose. “Not ideal, but in times of crisis, you take what you can get, right? It would really be just like drinking water coming from a bottle.”

“You’re right,” she agrees. “If it were an emergency and I were thirsty, I wouldn’t mind how I got the water.”

“Exactly~”

“Let’s play spin the bottle!” Kohaku suddenly calls from behind the bar. 

Yuzuriha sighs and shifts, trying to get comfortable in her seat. “This isn’t going to end well.”

“We’re not 13, are we?” Ukyo asks Senku over the rim of his wine glass.

"Not the last time I checked," the scientist mumbles around a mouthful of food. 

"Wait, aren't you married??" Chrome gives Kohaku an incredulous look.

"In case you didn't notice, Mozu isn't here right now," Kohaku snaps. She chugs the shimmering blue drink Francois slides in front of her before rounding the bar with an empty wine bottle. “Who needs him around anyways!”

"Yikes," Gen whispers. "Looks like someone stepped on a landmine."

“Kohaku-chan,” Yuzuriha says gently, “I know you want to do something fun, but most of us here are already uh… spoken for.” She gives Kohaku a patient smile. 

Ryusui decides to chime in as well from his place near the balcony. “Let's add alcohol to it then!” 

Gen is beginning to understand that Kohaku and Ryusui only agree on the most troublesome of things. 

"Did it slip your minds that half of the people in this room are married and Yuzuriha is pregnant?" Senku jerks his thumb over his shoulder, drawing their attention to the heavily pregnant woman relaxing on Ryusui's comfy couch. 

He's not wrong; most of their small friend group is paired off now. Ruri and Chrome are engaged and though it seems that Kohaku and Mozu are in a rough patch, they are  _ technically _ married. Only Senku, Ryusui, Ukyo, and Tsukasa remain single as of now. And Ginrou, of course, but Gen doesn't expect that to change any time soon. Kinrou let it slip that he was seeing someone but he hasn't divulged any further information on a partner.

"If I may," Francois steps forward, hand over her heart and head bowed just so. When Ryusui motions for her to continue, she clasps her hands behind her back and smiles at the group. "I might have a suggestion that would please all parties involved."

\---

Francois’ idea is to combine a few of the different party games she found with a quick internet search. 

“We’ll spin the bottle, and I’ll prepare a truth or dare for whoever it lands upon,” she explains as everyone takes a seat in the center of the living room. “Should you choose not to do the dare assigned to you or you’d prefer not to answer a question, you must take a drink.”

"I'm still not sure how this is beneficial for Yuzuriha," Senku sighs, taking his still-full glass of wine from Gen after getting comfortable on the overly plush red rug.

“Oh it’s beneficial." Senku looks up at Yuzuriha's remark and snorts when he sees her feet propped up in Taiju's lap with a small plate of birthday cake perched on her baby bump. "Very beneficial indeed," she murmurs before bringing another forkful of cake to her mouth.

Gen takes his seat on Senku's right, putting him on Ukyo's left. To the right of the sonar technician is the host of the party himself, Ryusui, followed by Tsukasa, Kohaku, Kinrou, Ginrou, Amaryllis, Ruri, and Chrome. Instead of taking a seat in the circle, Nikki and Francois remain standing behind Ryusui. 

"Well then, since it's Senku's birthday party, won't you do the honors?" Ryusui grins as he passes the dark colored wine bottle off to Senku and the scientist finds himself feeling a little nervous as he prepares to spin the thing. Maybe even excited.

How many years had it been since they'd played childish games like this?

For all of Senku’s concerns that it would be  _ too _ childish, or even cross a line, they all end up having a great time playing. Chrome has tears running down his face when Amaryllis helps Kinrou put on a dress for his dare, and Yuzuriha laughs until she hurts when Taiju has to tell his most embarrassing secret. Senku wants to melt through the floor when he finds out that Taiju’s most embarrassing secret is the time they “practiced” kissing when they were fourteen and Taiju made Senku dress up and pretend to be Yuzuriha, but the spotlight is taken off of them when Ukyo and Ryusui have to play the pocky game. 

“It's getting late," Senku says as he takes the bottle from Chrome. "Last spin." With a flick of his wrist, the bottle is spinning again, and everyone waits with baited breath to see who will have the last challenge of the evening. When the bottle stops spinning, the cork is pointing at Gen.

"Oh boy," Gen scrunches his nose.

"Truth or dare, Gen?" Senku asks, reclining on his palms. Gen hums thoughtfully.

"Dare."

Francois smiles politely at Gen. "Your dare is: kiss the person immediately to your left."

"Oooo~!" Chrome coos and Senku rolls his eyes. This is the kind of childish antics he'd been afraid of. Luckily, Gen is just a robot and not one of his oldest friends; he doesn't have to worry about things getting weird after one kiss.

"Are you okay with this, Senku-chan?" Gen asks. If Senku didn't know any better, he'd say Gen seemed nervous, but that's ridiculous. It must be the wine.

"Of course," Senku agrees, sitting up right once more. "It's just a kiss." Gen hesitates another moment and Senku huffs. Before Gen can even blink, Senku grabs the AI by the cheeks and tugs him into a kiss. It's quick and chaste, just lips on lips, and then it's over and Senku is ready to go home. 

He rises to his feet with the rest of the group and begins gathering his things and cleaning up a bit, but after taking the Tupperware container from Francois and putting on his jacket, he realizes that Gen is still sitting on the rug, staring at nothing. "Gen? You alright?" he calls.

The AI blinks out of whatever trance he's in and quickly rises to his own feet. "Yes! Of course!"

Senku keeps a close eye on Gen as he hustled around the living room helping Ryusui's AI clean up the food and decorations, but Gen seems to be functioning fine…

Maybe his battery is getting low..?

\---

When Gen climbs into his charging pod that night, all he can think about is the kiss with Senku.

The scientist hadn't been phased in the slightest, but for Gen…

Just the mere touch of their lips together sent small electric shocks through his body. Once Senku had released him, he'd quickly self diagnosed but found no malfunctions. A quick search on the web, however, said that sometimes kissing can make you feel oddly. It can cause heart palpitations or a swooping feeling; some people said they got light headed or felt lightning bolts. It's incredibly common in first kisses, apparently.

"Humans are so strange," Gen murmurs, fingers tentatively trailing over his own pink lips. Senku's lips had been warm and soft, but his own feel chilled and a little firm.

He wonders if Senku felt anything during their kiss, or if it was just him. He kind of wants to ask… but he isn't really sure he wants to know the answer.

CHARGING

BATTERY PERCENTAGE: 34

INTERNAL MEMORY STORAGE: 56% FULL

\---

"So how's everything working out with Gen?" Chrome is grinning at him over the work table. Senku huffs a laugh and carefully sets another test tube full of liquid into the rack in front of him.

“They’re going fine. Gen has actually been a big help.”

“Aha! I knew he would be!” Senku rolls his eyes at Chrome’s smug tone. “You said you didn’t need any help, but I just  _ knew _ Gen would be good for you! Tell me about it! What does he do for you?? Have there been any problems?? I want a full report!” Senku laughs and drops into the rolly chair in front of the computer desk.

“If there were any problems I would have already called you and Kaseki about it,” he pauses, hands over the keyboard, and frowns. “Well, I mean… there was one thing, A couple weeks ago-”

Senku startles when Chrome is suddenly inches away from his face, eyes wide. “Tell me everything.” 

_“Jesus-!”_ Senku shoves Chrome’s face away and spins around to face him, “It wasn’t a big deal! I just-” Senku sighs and purses his lips, lingering guilt bubbling to the surface again. He and Gen are on good terms, and Gen hasn’t brought that night up, but Senku still feels bad about it all. 

“Gen cleaned my lab while I wasn’t home- rearranged papers, ruined some experiments.” Senku runs a hand through his hair with another sigh.

“Oh shit,” Chrome breathes, leaning against the edge of the lab table. “What did you do?”

“I shouted at him,” Senku answers honestly. “I told him to get out.”

“Dude!”

“I didn’t mean it!” Senku defends. “I was just angry and I wanted him out of the lab!”

“So what did Gen do?” Chrome asks quietly. 

“He left.”

“Left like he left the lab or..?”

“He left the apartment.” 

_ “Senku!” _ Chrome cries, bewildered.

“I didn’t know he would take it literally!” Senku cries, throwing his arms out to the sides. Chrome drags a hand over his face. “I went out to look for him as soon as I realized, and I apologized!”

“Good!” Chrome huffs. “He probably felt terrible after all that! I hope you comforted him!! I know you’re not the best at it but like- a hug, or something.” Senku frowns.

“What are you talking about? Gen doesn’t  _ feel _ anything, Chrome. He’s a robot.” Chrome stares at him for a long moment and it makes Senku uncomfortable so he quickly turns around to face the computer again. “I apologized, yeah, because I felt guilty for yelling at him. It was my fault for not giving him clearer directions, but Gen is just-”

“You didn’t read the manual, did you?” Chrome breathes. Senku’s fingers pause in their typing.

“...what does that have to do with anything..?” Senku mumbles, gears beginning to turn in his brain. Chrome exhales heavily and Senku can hear what sounds like Chrome smacking his forehead against the worktable.

“Senku, I gave you the manual for a  _ reason!”  _ He stresses. “Gen isn’t just a typical AI! Gen is  _ special!” _

  
Senku spins around again to give Chrome his full attention. "Special  _ how..?" _


	5. Try Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And that, he thinks, is probably one of the biggest and most terrifying differences between AI and humans. 
> 
> Though humans try to forget and bury memories, there will always be fragments remaining; breadcrumbs to help lead you to the memory you've forgotten. But AI don't have any such fragments. 
> 
> Once the memory is gone, it's gone forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay, but the much awaited next chapter is here! 💕

Senku hesitates outside the hotel door for another minute longer before taking a deep breath and rapping his knuckles on the white door. A moment of silence passes before he hears the chain lock being undone and the door opens to reveal Stanley with a sucker in his mouth. He pulls the candy out of his mouth with a small pop.

“Your dad’s gonna cry when he finds out you came to see his talk, I hope you know that.” Stanley leaves the door open when he turns away and Senku huffs a small laugh. 

“I’m not actually here to see dad’s speech,” he steps into the large hotel room and closes the door behind him. “I’m here to talk to you.”

“Me?” Stanley repeats, eyebrows raised. Senku nods and takes a seat in the red desk chair. The bathroom door is cracked just enough to allow steam out and Senku can hear the shower and hairdryer both running, so his dad and Xeno must both be in there. Stanley puts the tv on mute before tossing the remote into the center of the bed and sitting down on the foot of the bed. “Alright. What’s on your mind?”

The hair dryer stops and the bathroom door opens. “I’m going down without you, Byakuya,” Xeno calls as he exits the bathroom adjusting his tie. “You have fifteen minutes before Stanley brings you down, dressed or not.”

“Sounds kinky!” Senku hears Byakuya laugh before the bathroom door is closed. Xeno stops short when he sees Senku. He looks at Stanley and back at Senku. “Senku,” he greets.

“Xeno,” Senku returns the greeting. 

Xeno smooths his gelled hair down and nods to himself. “I assume you’re not here to hear your father and I talk, so I’ll leave you to your business.”

“If I wanted to hear you and Dad talk I would call you,” Senku teases. Xeno smiles.

“You really  _ should _ call more often,” he ruffles Senku’s hair as he passes by the young scientist and grabs his jacket off the desk beside Senku. “You’re his pride and joy, you know.” The front door locks automatically when Xeno lets it fall shut and Senku sighs as he runs a hand through his own gelled hair, trying to fix it.

“What is it with you guys any my  _ hair?” _ he mumbles. 

“You were saying?” Stanley probes. Senku inhales, sits up straighter.

"You knew, didn't you? About Gen."

"I don't know what exactly I know, but I know he's different," Stanley confirms. "That much was obvious."

"Obvious to everyone but me, apparently," Senku frowns.

"What happened?" Stanley asks. 

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it," Senku replies. He tells Stanley what Chrome told him- about Gen's ability to learn and think for himself, about Gen being able to understand and feel human emotions, and eventually display them. He tells Stan that Chrome had compared Gen to a child, learning to understand, identify, and display emotions.

And then he confides in Stanley how horribly he's treated Gen in the last month and a half. How he'd essentially ignored Gen's existence unless he needed him, how he'd given Gen direct orders instead of asking, how he'd pressured Gen into situations a normal human might not be comfortable with. Stanley listens without interrupting, even when Senku goes off on a tangent about how sly Kaseki and Chrome are for saddling Senku with such a delicate piece of work, and doesn't make a move to speak at all until Senku finally collapses against the back of the red chair with a deep exhale. "So?" The young scientist prompts. "What do you think?"

There's a loud crunch and Stanley pulls the candy-less stick out of his mouth. "I think I need a cigarette," he answers honestly. With precision gained after years of practice, Stanley tosses the sick into the small trash can across the room and rises to his feet. "Walk with me."

Senku follows Stanley out onto the balcony and relaxes against the stone wall as he waits for the older man to light his cigarette. He stares up at the night sky, watching the stars twinkle as he listens to the familiar sound of Stanley's lighter, waits for the first cloud of smoke to pass through his field of vision, before he turns his attention back to him.

"I think you probably should have read the instruction booklet before you got too into everything," Stanley murmurs. "I think you fucked up. But that doesn't mean it's a total failure." Stanley pauses to take another drag off his cigarette. "If Gen is like a child, then that makes you a parent of sorts, and parents aren't perfect. They make mistakes- you know that first hand," he glances at Senku out of the corner of his eye but Senku remains silent.

"The thing that makes or breaks you as a parent isn't the mistakes you make… it's what you do  _ after  _ the mistakes that matters. What's done is done, and you can never undo it. The kids... they don't forget it even if you do. They hold onto that shit. All you can do is apologize, learn from your mistakes, and do better." Stanley turns to look Senku in the eye. "You can't change the way you treated him up until now, but you can treat him better from now on. You can teach him, and he can teach you."

"For a guy who doesn't know how to talk to kids without candy, you sure do give good dad-speeches." Senku huffs. Stanley grins.

"One of us has to be good at it," he stubs out his cigarette on the balcony railing and looks up when he hears the bathroom door open. Byakuya strolls out of the bathroom with a large, fluffy white towel slung around his hips and a smaller one wrapped around his head. When he turns to look out at the balcony, his eyes light up.

"Senku!!" He cries excitedly. "You came!!" With both hands in the air, the towel falls from his hips and Senku presses a hand to his forehead.

"You have five minutes," Stanley says with a glance at his watch. "I was told to bring you down, clothed or not."

"Five minutes isn't enough time-!" Byakuya protests, scrambling to grab his towel from the carpeted floor.

"Four minutes and fifty seconds.. . four minutes fourty-nine-"

"Ahhh, I'm going!! I'm going!" Byakuya cries, rushing to the closet across the room. Stanley shakes his head as he watches the older man quickly tug his clothes on over still damp skin.

"He never changes," Stanley muses quietly. A fond smile is curling the corner of his lips up and Senku finds himself smiling at the concrete beneath his feet.

_ Neither do you, _ he thinks.

\---

Senku ends up staying to watch the talks but he excuses himself from going out to dinner. He hadn't told Gen he was going to be late, but he promises that they'll get dinner before the trio flies back to America at the end of the week.

Music is playing when Gen enters the apartment- some kind of bubbly pop music- and the smell of curry makes his mouth water. His stomach rumbles and he hadn’t realized how hungry he was until right now. He toes off his shoes at the entrance and sets his keys on the hall table before padding up the hallway and peeking into the kitchen. Gen is peeling apples as he sways to the beat of the music and he’s so real- so life like- Senku doesn’t know why he didn’t see it before.

Gen is just as human as anyone else at this point.

“I’m home-”

“Ah!” Gen drops the apple and knife with a clatter and Senku jumps. “Ahh, welcome home, Senku-chan,” Gen turns to give Senku a strained smile.

“Did you cut yourself?” Senku asks, frowning as Gen rubs his left palm.

“Mm, looks like,” Gen sighs.

“Does it hurt?” Senku asks, coming closer and holding out his hand. Gen holds his own palm out for Senku to examine and shakes his head.

“I have no pain receptors, but it did surprise me- just like you!” He suddenly frowns at Senku. “You didn’t tell me you’d be late coming home!”

“Right, sorry,” Senku apologizes as he pulls the flaps of Gen’s “skin” apart just far enough to make sure the components underneath aren’t damaged. “I didn’t intend to be late. I stopped by the hotel to talk to dad for a bit and got roped into watching their science talks.”

Gen hums. “Since it was for your parents, I’ll forgive you.” Senku huffs a small laugh.

“You’re so gracious.”

“You better believe it,” Gen winks. He pulls his hand out of Senku’s lax grasp and smiles. “My hand should be alright. The cut wasn’t deep enough to have damaged anything so after I finish getting the apples into the oven, I’ll glue it up.”

“Do you cut yourself often?” Senku asks, eying Gen.

“Not often,” Gen says, “but once in a while I accidentally nick myself. Just a little bit of super glue seals the skin right up!”

“I see,” Senku murmurs. “What were you doing?”

“I thought an apple tart might be good for dessert,” Gen laughs, turning back to the counter. “I haven’t made many desserts lately, and apples are technically healthy-”

“Let me do that,” Senku interjects, taking the knife from the counter before Gen can pick it up again. The AI blinks in surprise.

“What?”

“I’ll finish this up, so you glue your hand,” Senku says, ushering Gen to the other side of the kitchen. Gen still stares at the scientist wide eyed.

“Senku-chan, do you even know how to peel an apple?” Senku scoffs as he picks up the half peeled apple.

“Of course I do. I’ve lived by myself for years!” Senku begins slowly, carefully peeling the rest of the apple, tip of his pink tongue peeking out from between his lips, and Gen sighs.

“Oh Senku…”

\---

Senku manages to finish peeling the apple Gen started and another before the glue on Gen’s hand completely dries, so all that’s left for Gen to do is core and slice them all. He works quickly, even with Senku staring at his back the entire time, and he slides all the slices into a bowl of sugar, cinnamon, and other spices before sticking them in the fridge and sighing.

“Senku-chan?” He asks, back still turned to the scientist. “Is something the matter?”

“Like what?” Gen turns around and eyes Senku curiously.

“Anything… I mean, as much as I love having company in the kitchen, you never usually stand in here with me. And even if you  _ do _ sit at the counter, you’re not usually so… attentive.” Gen isn’t complaining exactly, but Senku being  _ right there _ is more than a little odd.

“Ah,” Senku rubs the back of his neck, looking a little sheepish. “Actually… I talked to Chrome today…”

“Ahhh,” Gen smiles.  _ Now _ it makes sense. “He told you, didn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Senku sighs. “So I need to apologize to you. Gen, I haven’t really been the best owner-”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Gen interrupts and Senku frowns. “As far as being my owner, you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Gen…”

“Senku-chan, I might have the ability to think and feel for myself, but you’re not wrong. I’m just a robot,” he smiles. “I’m your personal assistant and nothing more.” Senku stares at him for a long minute but Gen fights the urge to look away from his gaze. "Are you hungry?" Gen finally asks, trying to change the subject. 

"Very," Senku replies, and the topic is successfully shifted away from Gen as he busies himself with serving Senku a plate of curry and rice. 

\---

With the end of the week comes Senku's parents' departure, but before that: a party.

It's nothing too fancy; just the five of them around the coffee table with hotpot that Gen prepared and alcohol that Stanley bought. It's not fancy, but it's fun and full of laughter and Gen finds himself smiling as he watches everyone eat and talk cheerfully.

From what he understands, Senku and his father had a bit of a strained relationship for a while, but they're finally getting back to a good place; Senku is finally letting him back in. With the trio living in America, it means they don't get to do this very often. They don't get to sit and discuss everyday stuff and complain to one another like most parents and children do. Gen is sure that if they could, that if Senku weren't so stubborn, he and Byakuya would be able to understand each other a little bit better.

Gen doesn't tell Senku that though. For now, he's content to just watch over the scientist and root for his happiness quietly from the sidelines.

When the hotpot is finished and everyone has eaten much more than they should have, Gen begins cleaning up and taking everything to the kitchen. Stanley helps him out by carrying the small stack of bowls to the kitchen and then rummaging through the freezer for dessert.

"We should watch a movie or play a board game or something!" Byakuya says from his place in the floor. He's got his head pillowed in Xeno's lap, tv remote in hand, and a lap blanket thrown over his upper half. 

"I don't own any board games," Senku reaches down to snag the remote from Byakuya before settling onto the couch, ignoring Byakuya's indignant cry. "and you know as well as I do that the only movies Xeno can watch without disecting them are horror movies."

"And that's only because he hides his face for half the movie," Stanley adds as he sits beside Senku with a pink popsicle.

"Like you have any room to talk," Xeno scoffs, tipping his head back to look up at Senku. "Who was it that got kicked out of a movie theater for pointing out all the flaws and inconsistencies in a children's movie?"

"I was  _ eight-" _

"You're just proving my point," Xeno takes the remote from Senku and begins scrolling through Senku's watch list. "What about a nature documentary? This one is about cats-"

"That's not a documentary on cats that's CATS and we're not watching it," Stanley swiftly takes the remote from Xeno and begins scrolling for himself. He pauses over something that doesn't look like it belongs in Senku's watchlist. "You getting into acrobatics now?"

"That's mine," Gen laughs. He's still standing behind the sink when Stanley looks up. "I planned to watch that while Senku was out today, but I got busy and forgot."

"It's one of those acrobatic, aerial type circus things, isn't it?" Byakuya asks. "I've been to one of those!"

"That must have been exciting! I love watching the way they swing through the air like it's second nature- and the costumes! They're so beautiful and extravagant but they never seem to get in the way!" Gen gushes. 

Senku plucks the remote from Stanley's hand again and quickly selects the movie. "Then that's what we'll watch."

"Eh?" Byakuya looks up at him, surprised, and Gen pauses in his dish scrubbing to blink at Senku.

"What?"

"Yeah," Senku scoots over towards the arm of the couch, clearing out a space for Gen between he and Stanley. "It's my fault you didn't get to watch it earlier, so."

"You don't have to do that," Gen laughs. "I can watch it any day-"

"If you dont hurry up you're gonna miss the first act," Senku waves a hand at the t.v. where the movie is already beginning and Gen looks back and forth from the t.v. to Senku, still holding a soapy rice bowl.

"But the dishes-"

"Can wait until later," Senku promises with a grin. "C'mon, Gen." Purple and blue lights illuminate the stage and the acrobats standing on stage, costumes elegant but sleek and Gen feels his resolve crumble.

"You have to help me with them once this is over," Gen says, tone leaving no room for argument as he quickly dries his hands on the dish towel beside him and rushes to the couch. "Should I dim the lights?" Gen asks eyes locked on the screen, and Senku laughs.

"Please." 

"Dimming lights," Gen announces as the lights slowly fade off. Stanley nudges Xeno's side with his foot to get the scientist's attention.

"We need to get us one of them assistants."

"We already have voice controlled devices," Xeno laughs quietly. "It's the same thing."

\---

Senku changes after the conversation with Chrome.

It's subtle, but Gen notices immediately. 

He's polite with Gen now, always saying "please" and "thank you", or asking Gen if he would mind running errands for him instead of just giving him an order. That's not to say that Senku wasn't nice or polite before, but you could always tell Senku had drawn a line between them. They were master and servant and that was it.

But since finding out that Gen isn't just a normal AI, Senku has begun treating him more like a human; more like an equal.

It feels good.  _ Too _ good. Gen might get addicted to the feeling that bubbles up inside him when Senku strikes up a random conversation while Gen is folding laundry, or the way Senku tries to make it seem like he's only downstairs for food or water, but he's really checking in on Gen to see if he's lonely.

It's not like Senku completely ignored him before, but he gave Gen a list of things to accomplish, and once Gen had completed them, he didn't really converse with the AI until he needed something else. These random check ins and conversations, though odd they may be, make Gen happy. 

Senku is actually trying to get to know him; trying to change. Senku invites Gen to come to school with him, and Gen considers it, but he ends up declining.

"Are you sure?" Senku asks as he adjusts the scarf around his neck. "I can get you an ID card and you can explore the school; you wouldn't have to be stuck in my lectures."

"I'm sure I'd be more interested in your lectures than anything else," Gen laughs, "but I'm sure. Schools are a place for learning, not playing around. And besides," his grin turns playful, "if I'm not home at noon, I'll miss my magician!"

Senku laughs. "Of course. You'll have to show me some of your new tricks some time."

"Of course!" Gen agrees easily. "The weather forecast says there's a chance for snow, so take your umbrella and be safe!" 

"Thanks Gen," Senku grabs one of the black umbrellas out of the holder before opening the front door. "I'm off!"

"Have a great day!" Gen calls after him. Once the door is closed and locked behind Senku, Gen sighs and makes his way back to the living room. "Who knew Senku would be the clingy one?" Gen muses, still smiling.

As he lays on the couch, he scrolls through his recipe folder, wondering what he should make for dinner. He just bought them a package of pork, so they should really use that soon… maybe he should look up some new recipes..? It couldn't hurt. Senku always praises his cooking, even when he makes mistakes.

He searches the internet and downloads a couple new pork recipes, but as he's scrolling through dessert recipes, he gets an alert.

**WARNING!**

INTERNAL MEMORY STORAGE:

80% FULL

NEARING CAPACITY

"Already??" Gen's eyes widen. It's only been a month since he took the broken memory card out- how has he already used this much memory space?? He quickly sits up and begins scanning through all his files, looking for things to delete to help lighten the load.

"I don't really need 300 recipes, do I?" He mumbles to himself. It takes a while to decide which recipes to keep and which to dispose of, but eventually Gen manages to cut the list in half and saves 157 of the recipes he's either already been using or is most likely to use before moving on to the other files.

His eyes act as a camera would, so most of his memories are snippets of things that have happened every day. He'd been saving his memories of the shows he's watched while Senku is working, but he can always watch them again later. For now, he cuts and deletes sections of the memories he doesn't need- commercials, day time dramas- he feels like a film editor as he cuts and slices things together. 

It takes close to two hours, but Gen finally manages to clear out a decent amount of junk. When he checks, it says his internal storage is now only 60% full. It's not a huge change, but it's good enough for now, Gen decides.

But the thing about deleting memories as an AI is that you don't even remember what you've deleted. You don't miss it, because you don't know that you ever had it in the first place. Gen remembers that he deleted parts of tv shows that he deemed unimportant, but he hasn't the foggiest idea what bits he deleted. 

And that, he thinks, is probably one of the biggest and most terrifying differences between AI and humans. 

Though humans try to forget and bury memories, there will always be fragments remaining; breadcrumbs to help lead you to the memory you've forgotten. But AI don't have any such fragments. 

Once the memory is gone, it's gone forever.


	6. Insecure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuzuriha goes into labor, and Gen starts to question his place in Senku's future.

Yuzuriha and Taiju have their son at the end of January.

Everyone had been anticipating it, but it all happened so suddenly. Taiju and Yuzuriha had come over for brunch but while Gen was getting the plates out of the cabinet, Yuzuriha’s water broke. Taiju had panicked, of course, and hefted Yuzuriha into his arms and barreled out the door without any of their things, leaving Senku and Gen to frantically turn off the stove and gather all of the couple’s left behind supplies- including their shoes and Yuzuriha’s purse. 

When they got downstairs, the car was still parked- with only Yuzuriha inside- because apparently Taiju had realized they forgot their things and went back upstairs to get them after carefully buckling Yuzuriha into the car. 

“That idiot!” Senku cries, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and calling Taiju’s phone. Gen slips into the back seat with Yuzuriha’s purse, jacket, and shoes, and leans over the center console to give the woman a comforting smile. 

“How are you feeling?” 

Yuzuriha laughs, a little anxiously, as she rests her hands on the sides of her tummy. “Not too bad. I’ve had contractions the last few days, but the doctor said to wait it out at home until they got closer together.”

“Do they feel close?” Gen asks, passing Yuzuriha her jacket when she shivers. 

“I think so? But, I haven’t really been keeping track-”

“I’ll time them for you,” Gen offers. “Just let me know when they start.”

“Well, one just ended,” Yuzuriha says with a strained smile. “They’re not too painful.”

“That’s good, at least.” Gen says. The driver side door opens and Taiju clambers into the front seat as Senku quickly ducks into the back seat.

“Sorry, Yuzuriha!” Taiju cries, “I got ahead of myself, but I’m here now! And I’ll get you to the hospital super speedy quick-”

“Forget about getting there quick!” Senku grabs the back of Taiju’s seat and thrusts his head between the front seats, eyes wide. “Just get us there alive!”

“Taiju, Sweetie,” Yuzuriha rests her hand on the man’s forearm. “Are you sure you can drive?? You’re trembling!”

“I  _ am _ trembling, but don’t worry!” Taiju rests his hand on Yuzuriha’s hand and smiles brightly. “It’s from excitement, not fear!” Yuzuriha smiles, amused.

“That’s not really the problem here…”

“If I don’t drive us, who will?” Taiju frowns. “You’re in labor and Senku doesn’t have a license.”

“I could drive,” Gen suggests, already opening the car door. Senku rears back to fix Gen with an incredulous stare.

_ “You? _ You’re going to drive us to the hospital??”

“I don’t see why not!” Gen blinks at Senku. “I know how!”

“Have you ever driven before??” 

“No, I’ve never actually driven a car,” Gen steps out of the car and it’s only now that Senku realizes Gen is  _ still barefoot, _ “but I downloaded the driving instruction manual and it doesn’t seem that hard.”

“Good enough for me!” Taiju shrugs and opens his own car door. 

“This is insanity!” Senku cries, watching the two quickly run around the car and trade places. “You’re going to get us killed! You don’t even have a license!” 

“A robot doesn’t need a license.” Gen grins as he buckles himself in and adjusts the mirrors. “It’ll be fine as long as I obey all the traffic laws!” Yuzuriha’s hand clamps down on his wrist as he’s about to turn the car key and when he looks over, the brunette’s face is scrunched in pain. “Oh dear.”

“Start the timer, Gen.”

\---

“You’re never driving again,” Senku says firmly, hefting Yuzuriha’s purse strap back up onto his shoulder as he trails after Taiju, who is quickly waddling across the parking lot with Yuzuriha in his arms.

“I thought I did a pretty good job!” Gen protests. “I didn’t hit anyone! No one hit us!”

“You ran a stop sign and hopped a curb-”

“One curb, one stop sign! For my first try, you have to give me some kind of credit!” Gen argues. Senku frowns back at him but Gen simply grins. “I was antastic-fay~”

“You were decent,” Senku finally sighs. When they get into the hospital, Yuzuriha is being wheeled away in a wheelchair, Taiju at her side, and Senku clicks his tongue. “Excuse me,” he calls, catching the attention of a nurse with a clipboard trailing after Taiju and Yuzuriha, “this is her bag. Could you make sure she gets it?”

“Of course!” The nurse agrees, taking the brown leather bag from Senku and hurrying to catch up with the nurse wheeling Yuzuriha down the hallway. Senku pulls his cellphone out of his pocket and begins swiping through his contacts.

“I’m going to make some calls out front. Stay close by,” Senku instructs, bringing the phone up to his ear as he heads for the front door. Gen hums and flops down in one of the hard plastic chairs in the waiting area. The general waiting area is pretty empty right now, so Gen has all the magazines to himself, but instead of picking one up, he scrolls through his “Memory Gallery”, as he’s begun to call it. Instead of waiting for his internal memory to build up and then having to rush to delete a bunch of things, he’s taken to deleting a few memories here and there throughout the day, or even waiting until bedtime and doing a cleaning. It’s helped keep his memory capacity under control, and when deleting small amounts here and there, it doesn’t take nearly as long to clear space as it did the first time. 

He deletes the driving handbook, since it seems Senku won’t be letting him drive again any time soon, but leaves the rest of this morning’s memories untouched. The automatic doors open and an elderly woman slowly makes her way into the hospital, a large gift basket in her arms. She peers around the wrapping, searching for someone who works there, probably, but after finding no one, she turns to Gen.

“Excuse me,” she calls. Gen smiles up at her politely.

“Hm?”

“Would you happen to know which way the delivery rooms are?” the woman asks kindly. “My granddaughter just had her baby, but I’m not sure which way to go.”

“They really do need better signs in the front rooms, huh?” Gen says, pushing to his feet. “I’m actually not sure where it is, but I’ve just had a friend go into labor as well, and they went down this hallway here,” Gen points to the hallway Taiju and Yuzuriha disappeared down only moments earlier. “Maybe we could search together until we find someone who knows something?”

“Oh, that would be wonderful!” The woman smiles. Gen offers his arm, and she links her arm through his. “You’re so very kind,” she says. “I have a grandson who must be around your age, you know. He could learn a thing or two about manners from you.” Gen laughs.

“You flatter me!”

\---

They manage to find a sign in the corridor that leads them to the elevators and tells them that the labor and delivery ward is on the fourth floor. Gen could have easily let Estella go on by herself from there, but he decides to take her all the way there.

When they step out of the elevators on the fourth floor, there’s a nurses’ station right in front of them, and just a little ways down the wall to the right, there’s a large glass window. There’s a set of doors to the left of the nurse’s station as well, and Gen assumes that’s where the labor and delivery happens. There’s a small waiting area to the right of the elevator, and down past the glass window, another hallway stretches out. 

Gen waves goodbye to Estella as one of the nurses escorts her down the hallway past the glass window, and Gen is about to step back into the elevator, but movement behind the glass window catches his attention and he finds himself padding closer. The nurse that remains at the desk gives him a small smile and turns back to her paperwork. When Gen reaches the window, he lets out a small, breathy, “Oh.”

It’s a nursery.

Rows upon rows of beds are lined up- well, only three rows, but it feels like a lot. Not all of the beds are full though, and Gen only counts nine babies in the small beds. The blankets and hats are all neutral colored, so Gen can’t say for certain which are girls and which are boys- until he notices the small pink and blue cards at the ends of the beds with babies in them.

If he squints, he can read the family names written on the cards, along with the weight, time, and date of birth, but that feels sort of private, so Gen just watches the babies sleep instead. One baby on the end sticks out in particular, and Gen finds himself walking to the end of the window to get a better look at the baby who is frowning at the ceiling above him. He can't help but smile at how serious and grumpy he looks for an infant. He looks like he's contemplating the meaning of life at nine hours old and it's adorable.

A sudden thought strikes Gen: What was Senku like as a baby?

Was he small and pudgy, with a happy gummy smile? Or was he long and disproportionate, with a grumpy scowl? Did he have a full head of hair or none at all? Was he a cranky baby or a quiet baby? And then another, more sobering question finds its way to the forefront of Gen’s mind.

What will Senku’s children look like..?

Because of course, eventually, he’ll meet someone and fall in love. They’ll probably want to start a family of their own as couples do. They’ll get a bigger house, maybe some place with a front yard and a dog. Senku is so good with Ruri and Kohaku’s younger sister Suika that it’s hard to imagine him as anything but a doting father; not quite as doting as his own father, but all the same. 

Senku will make an amazing father and husband one day… but where does that leave Gen?

Something twists in Gen’s chest, a bitter, sour feeling, and he pushes away from the glass to make his way back to the elevator. He waves at the nurses behind the desk as the door closes and makes a note of this unhappy feeling inside him. It’s like fear and sadness, and there’s some apprehension as well. It’s an unease he’s felt before, but imagining Senku starting a family with someone, starting a life that Gen can’t imagine himself in, hurts. If Senku meets someone new, where does that leave him..?

\---

When Gen gets back to the main lobby, Senku is nowhere to be found. Gen peers out the front windows, hoping to see the scientist standing out front, but to his dismay, Senku isn’t there either. 

“Not good,” Gen mumbles, looking around the still empty waiting room. Walking around the hospital in search of Senku doesn’t seem like a smart idea, so he sits down in one of the plastic waiting room chairs again with a sigh. Senku’ll have to pass back through here on his way out, so he’ll surely see Gen. This time, he picks up a fashion magazine and crosses one leg over the other as he flips through the pages of the magazine. He’s not really reading the articles, just skimming over the pictures and things and wondering where anyone would wear half of these outfits. They don’t seem practical, but then again, fashion has never really been about practicality, has it?

“I didn’t know sex-bots needed regular checkups.” If Gen had hair on the back of his neck, it would be standing on end right now. As it is, he feels his fight or flight response trying to kick in at the familiar, husky drawl. He knows who’s standing in front of him without even having to look, but he still feels a little shocked when he looks up and finds Hyoga staring down at him. Hyoga ignores every other empty seat and sits down right beside Gen with a sigh.

Gen shifts uncomfortably, wondering if it would be rude to move to another seat, or even just walk away, but he stays, hands gripping the magazine just a little tighter and lips pursed. 

Gen would rather be anywhere but here right now.


	7. Take It All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Gen begins to doubt himself, to lose his way in darkness and anxieties, Senku is always the bright light that takes his hand and leads him back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Seven is finally here, and I hope you all enjoy it! <3

"What, you won't even greet me after the passionate night we shared?" Hyoga teases, voice low. Gen scoffs.

"Passionate night?" He repeats. "You mean when you busted up my circuits, used me as you pleased, and left me in a back alley covered in your seed?"

"Passion," Hyoga repeats, shifting in his seat. Gen scoffs, roughly turning the page of the magazine he's reading. "Your Daddy in for a check up?"

"He's visiting a friend who's having a baby," Gen answers, trying not to sound as irritated and anxious as he feels. He knows Hyoga is trying to get a rise out of him, and he won't give the asshole the satisfaction. 

"It's not his kid?" 

"It's not," Gen confirms. 

"Well that's a shame," Hyoga sighs. Gen frowns, confused, and looks up at the man. "If it'd been his own kid, I'd have offered to take you off his hands."

"I'm not sure I understand how Se- _my master_ having children equates to you being able to "take me off his hands", as you put it."

"Don't you, though?" Hyoga raises a brow and Gen purses his lips. "You're realistic and very well made, but I guess you're still just a robot after all." He shifts, slouching down in the hard plastic chair and spreading his knees a bit further. 

"Look, you're a glorified sex doll," Hyoga gives Gen a blank look. "Daddy might treat you well now, but what do you think is gonna happen when he gets himself a real partner?" 

"I'm built for more than just sex," Gen finds himself protesting. "I cook and clean-"

"And a girlfriend can do that too," Hyoga interrupts. "Anything you can do, a flesh and blood human can do. He's not gonna need you around to cook and clean for him when he gets a girlfriend- or even a boyfriend. They'll probably get offended about it too- relationships are funny like that." He's watching Gen intently now, "They'll complain to Daddy that he treats you better than them, that you get more attention, that you do everything and never let them have a chance in the spotlight…" he lowers his voice, "and you know what Daddy's gonna do then..?"

Gen swallows hard, fear gripping him tightly. He can't look away from Hyoga's piercing grey eyes.

"He's gonna take their side," Hyoga murmurs, "because you're just a robot. You're easily replaceable, but humans aren't."

“Gen!” Senku’s voice is sharp, finally giving Gen the power to look away from Hyoga. “Where the hell have you been??” Senku is coming back from the direction of the maternity ward, hair slightly frazzled and eyebrows furrowed. 

“Ah, sorry,” Gen pushes to his feet, drops the magazine in his chair without a second glance. “I uh. I took a walk, and when I got back you were gone…”

“I was trying to find you,” Senku sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Kohaku is coming to pick us up, since you’re not wearing shoes.” Senku looks over Gen’s shoulders at Hyoga as he remains lounging in the chair. “Friend of yours?”

“Absolutely not,” Gen’s laugh is awkward, forced, and Senku’s frown deepens. Hyoga pushes to his feet and stretches his arms above his head before tucking his hands into his pockets with a huff.

“I’ll be off first then,” Hyoga drawls. He glances at Gen out of the corner of his eye, and once again, Gen doesn’t need to see beneath the mask to know that Hyoga is wearing an amused smirk. His eyes tell Gen everything he needs to know. “I’ll see you around.” The tense silence lasts for a few minutes, even after Hyoga has disappeared around the corner.

“Gen..?” Senku is watching the robot with concern, but Gen shakes his head, pushing Hyoga’s words to the back of his mind. 

“How’s Taiju-kun?” He asks, trying to change the subject. “Yuzuriha-chan? Is the baby here yet?”

  
Senku watches Gen silently for another moment. “...Not yet. Yuzuriha is holding up well, but if Taiju doesn’t slow his jets, I have a feeling Yuzuriha is gonna give him a black eye before it’s all over.” Gen laughs, tucking his hands into his jeans pockets.

“I wouldn’t be surprised at all, honestly. Are we not waiting until the baby is born?"

"No," Senku peers around Gen again, eyes scanning the parking lot for any sign of Kohaku's bright green monstrosity. "It'll probably still be a few more hours. We'll go home and wait until Taiju calls us."

"Sounds like a good plan," Gen nods. "I need to clean the kitchen anyways."

\---

"Gen??" 

The AI startles at Senku's voice suddenly so close and jerks his head up, eyes wide.

"Yes??"

"...It's clean," Senku nods his head at the pot in Gen's hands that he's been scrubbing for the last ten minutes. "If you scrub it anymore, you're gonna scratch the coating off of it."

"Right!" Gen drops the pot back into the soapy water immediately. "Right, sorry! I got distracted!" Gen says, drying his hands off on the dish towel beside the sink.

"Gen, are you sure you're okay?" Senku frowns. "You've been acting weird this afternoon."

"I'm fine!" Gen assures, clasping his hands behind his back. Senku isn't convinced.

"It was that guy at the hospital, wasn't it?" Gen flinches. It's subtle, but Senku catches it. "It was. What did he say to you? Did he do something while I wasn't there??"

"No, nothing like that," Gen shakes his head, fingers threading together nervously. "He didn't lay a hand on me today- he just… he said some things I didn't want to hear."

"Like what?" Senku demands.

"It's not really important," Gen tries to protest, but Senku won't take no for an answer.

"If it's got you this distracted, it's obviously not nothing." He grabs Gen's wrist and pulls, leading Gen to the living room couch. "Spill it."

Gen purses his lips as he takes a seat, weighing his words carefully. He has to be careful about what he says; if he reveals too much, Senku might ask further questions, and if he has to tell Senku how he and Hyoga first met…

He doesn't even want to think about what Senku would say if he knew Gen had been defiled; if he knew Gen were broken.

He's not trying to protect Hyoga, even though it must seem like that. He's selfishly trying to save _himself._

"While you were on the phone, I showed an older woman to the maternity ward and Hyoga saw me coming back. He must have seen us together before and assumed I was your mistress, because he asked if you'd had a baby.” Senku frowns, but Gen continues, “He offered me a shoulder to cry on and-”

“So he tried to pick you up,” Senku deadpans. Gen nods, but Senku doesn’t seem mollified. “There was more though, wasn’t there? You looked really uncomfortable with him around.”

Gen wishes Senku weren’t so observant sometimes.

“I was,” Gen sighs. “He implied that if you’d just had a baby I wouldn’t be wanted or needed, and though I know it’s probably true, it was still a punch to the gut.”

_“What?”_

“What?” Gen repeats, brow creased in confusion.

_“Why_ would I get rid of you after I have kids?” Senku asks incredulously. Gen opens his mouth but falters. He feels kind of _stupid,_ now. It’s a logical assumption, but the way Senku is looking at him makes him feel like maybe he doesn’t understand as much about the situation as he thought he did. “Gen,” Senku’s frown deepens, “I would _never_ get rid of you. Even if I _had_ kids.”

“But what if your partner asks you to?” Gen blurts. “What if- what if they get jealous of how much work I’m doing for you and they ask you to get rid of me?? Or if my maintenance gets in the way of you spending time with your family?? Or what if-”

“Gen,” Senku claps his hands against Gen’s cheeks, startling the AI. “That’s too many hypotheticals. For one,” He heaves an exasperated sigh, “I don’t have any plans to become a father in the near future. I don’t even have plans to find a _partner_ in the near future, so you literally have _nothing_ to worry about. At _all._ Do you understand?” Gen nods, cheeks still squished.

“And second, if I ever found anyone I _did_ want to be with, they’d need to understand that you and my work come first,” Senku says seriously. "You're not "just some robot," Gen, you're more than that. I'd never throw you away."

Gen's internal fans whir to life; why is he heating up??

“Really?” he mumbles. Senku nods firmly.

“Absolutely.” He lets Gen’s face go and leans back to give the AI a little more personal space. "You never have to worry about me getting rid of you ever- no matter what happens.”

The feelings bubbling up inside Gen have him smiling softly, his fingers twisting in the sleeves of his sweater. Senku looks relieved when Gen finally brings himself to look up at the scientist.

“Thank you, Senku.”

\---

He should have told Senku right then about the memory card, he knows, but when Senku relaxed against the couch cushions and asked Gen if he wanted to watch a movie with him, nothing else really seemed important.

So he pushed the thought of the broken memory card and everything that had to do with Hyoga aside and curled up on the couch next to Senku to watch another musical. Senku isn’t a fan of them, Gen knows, so he only gets to watch them when Senku isn’t home- but occasionally Senku allows them to watch one together, and Gen isn’t sure what he enjoys more: the catchy songs and on the nose lyrics or the absolutely agonized look that Senku wears most of the movie. The fact that Senku so obviously despises most musicals yet watches them because Gen enjoys them makes him happier than just about anything else.

It means Senku is being considerate of _him._

\---

“Gen, get dressed!” Senku calls as soon as the front door closes. Gen looks down at his clothes with a frown and leans forward to try and peer down the hallway at the scientist.

“Right now? It’s already eight-”

“I know! That’s why we gotta hurry!” Senku comes rushing through the living room, already tugging his tie off. 

“Hurry for what??” Gen asks, hurrying after the scientist. Senku is already rifling through his closet when Gen gets to the bedroom door, tossing clothes out onto the bed for both he and Gen.

“You’ll see when we get there!”

“Get where??” Gen dutifully strips off his oversized sweater and baggy sweatpants while Senku begins pulling on his own clothes. When he turns to face Gen, Senku is grinning.

“You’ll see when we get there!”

\---

“That was amazing, Senku-chan!!” Gen gushes the moment they exit the theater. 

“Yeah?” Senku is grinning at him.

“Yes!” The street lights reflecting off Gen’s eyes make it look like they’re glittering with excitement. “I’ve never seen magic tricks in person- I mean, I can do sleight of hand myself, but that was- they were amazing!” A few passersby give Gen odd looks at his excited rambling but neither one pays the strangers any attention. “How did they do that?!”

“Which part?” Senku laughs.

“All of it!” Gen cries. “The card was in the cube! And- and the levitation! And she got out of the sword box and was in the _audience!_ I can’t even dream of doing tricks like that,” Gen sighs, still awed. Senku has to admit, it _was_ pretty amazing. He knows there’s undoubtedly a logical, scientific explanation for all the things they saw tonight, but he doesn’t bring it up. He doesn’t want to ruin the illusion for Gen.

“So are you glad I made you get up and get dressed even though it was after 8:30?” Senku teases.

“Of course!” Gen laughs, and Senku can’t help but laugh as well. 

“Good, then.” The closer they get to the train station, the heavier the crowd gets, filled with people on their way home from work or out to celebrate the start of the weekend. Without a second thought, Senku reaches back to grab Gen’s hand as they begin wading through the crowd and pulls the AI closer by his arm. “Stay close to me. I don’t want you to get separated.”

His words are innocent, expressing a pure desire for them to not get separated on the way to the train, lest Gen get lost in the crowd. Senku has absolutely no idea that his words make Gen’s internal fans whir to life and his eyes widen in surprise. With his back turned to Gen, he doesn’t see the small, bashful smile the AI wears when he laces their fingers together and trails after Senku.

\---

“So did Gen enjoy the show??” Chrome asks first thing Monday morning. Senku laughs.

“Of course he did. We were a little bit late, but he still got to see the majority of it.”

“That’s great!” Chrome’s smile is nearly blinding. “I’m glad his first Valentine’s day was a good one! Did he do anything for you??”

“No,” Senku is already distracted by paperwork, “he didn’t. Honestly, I’m not sure he even remembered it was Valentine’s day.”

“You didn’t tell him?” Chrome’s smile falls. 

“No,” Senku sighs, already knowing where this is going. “No, Chrome, I didn’t tell Gen that the magic show was a Valentine’s gift.”

“It was supposed to be a date!!” Chrome cries, sprawling himself across the workbench dramatically. “You were supposed to take him on a date and catalogue his reactions and his-”

“And I did!” Senku says, matter of fact, before slipping a small orange USB out of his pocket. “I typed it all up for your nosy ass.” He tosses the USB across the room, watching Chrome scramble to catch the small stick, before turning back to his papers. “It’s just visual data, and it’s potentially biased, since I was the only source-”

“You didn’t use Gen’s data?” Chrome asks, already plugging the stick into his laptop.

“Nah.” Senku doesn’t expand further but Chrome doesn’t try to pry. The older scientist is more than a little grateful that Chrome can’t see the embarrassed flush he feels on his cheeks. He _would_ have used Gen’s data- if he hadn’t gotten distracted by watching Gen have such a fun time. He’d only remembered that he was supposed to be recording data for Chrome once he’d gotten into the shower that night, and it felt rude to wake Gen just to ask him about his feelings in depth. So Senku’d just compiled the make-shift report with his own feelings and what he’d observed; he was sure Chrome would enjoy it anyways.

The next time he takes Gen out, he’ll be sure to make sure he stays on task.

\---

Gen bounces his knee anxiously as he swipes through his memory files, trying to push back the panic he’s feeling creeping in. Even despite his best efforts, his memory capacity is nearing 80% again. 

He’s still been deleting a few things here and there every day, but it seems he’s got more memories now than he knows what to do with- more precious moments than throw away scenes.

Taiju and Yuzuriha holding their son Aki.

Kohaku and her harmless teasing.

Ruri and Chrome’s endless patience.

Byakuya and Kaseki’s fatherly love.

And most of all, Senku.

Senku, smiling at Gen. Senku, kissing Gen. Senku, holding Gen’s hand. Senku, falling asleep on Gen’s shoulder. Senku, sleeping at his work table. 

Senku, Senku, _Senku._

Gen’s memories are full to bursting with Senku-

And he can’t bring himself to erase even a minute of it. 

So he deletes all the hours worth of tv he’s watched over the last couple months and hopes for the best. It doesn’t make a lot of space, but it’s all he’s got left to give.


	8. What Happens in the Cabin...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nanami Ryusui doesn't celebrate JUST his birthday- he has a whole birthday WEEK.
> 
> In a cabin.
> 
> A very fancy cabin.
> 
> And anything can happen when you're on vacation. After all, what happens at the cabin stays in the cabin... Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been so long aince I last updated, I'm so sorry! 😭
> 
> But to make up for it: a 5k update!! 💕
> 
> I actually wanted to put all the events of the week spent in the cabin in one chapter, but it started to get too long, and I didn't want to throw off the balance of the story. Plus, where I ended it makes for a fantastic cliffhanger. 😉
> 
> Proceed with caution as there's some NSFW content near the end! New Characters/Tags are being added as well!
> 
> Thank you all for your patience! 💜💚

“A camping trip?” Gen asks curiously.

“Well, if you consider sleeping in a two story cabin “camping”, then yeah, I guess,” Senku huffs from inside the closet. “It’s Ryusui’s family’s cabin. We go a couple times a year, usually for special occasions and stuff.”

“So then, this is a special occasion?” Gen asks, folding the clothes Senku keeps tossing out onto the bed.

“Yep!” Senku comes out with another armful of clothes and Gen blinks, surprised by just how many outfits the scientist is apparently bringing along. “This weekend is Ryusui’s birthday.”

Gen blinks. “...Today is monday.”

“Yeah, I know,” Senku laughs. He turns back to enter the closet, leaving Gen to sort out and fold the pile of clothes in front of him. “Ryusui always makes a big deal of his birthday week. We stay in the cabin for five to seven days, and it's like a mini-vacation for everyone, since there's a big burst of work at both the end and beginning of the year. It's not too bad; there's plenty to do there, and we all stay out of one another's way, mostly."

"It sounds like fun!" Gen smiles at the sweater in his hands. “Should I pack some snacks for everyone? Or the groceries I bought yesterday? I don’t think they’ll go bad in a week’s time, but-”

“Nah, Ryusui’ll have plenty of food.” Senku comes out one last time, a couple pairs of shoes in his arms, and Gen frowns, finally asking the question that’s been on his mind since the beginning. 

“Senku-chan, don’t you think this is too many clothes..? I know it’s a week-long trip, but this is a lot of outfits.”

“Is it?” Senku frowns, looking over the pile of clothes. “I only picked out seven outfits for each of us, plus underwear and socks. I haven’t even gotten the pajamas yet-”

“Wait, wait,” Gen drops the t-shirt in his hands to hold them both up, “for  _ both _ of us?” he parrots. “These clothes are meant to be for you  _ and _ me? As in, I’m coming on this camping trip as well?”

“Well yeah,” Senku blinks at the AI. “I thought that was kind of obvious.”

“Oh.” Gen blinks.

“I guess it wasn’t,” Senku huffs a laugh, one hand rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “Do you- I mean, would you rather stay at home, or?”

“No, no!” Gen hurries to assure. “I’d love to go!!” 

“You’re sure?” The edge of Senku’s lip curls up teasingly at Gen’s hasty reply. 

“Absolutely!” Gen nods with finality. “But-” He looks at the pile of clothes he’s yet to fold and back up to Senku, “I think we need to talk about your outfit choices.”

\---

The Nanami family’s winter cabin is  _ gorgeous. _

Gen has to let out a low whistle of amazement when the rented van pulls up in front of it. He’d been expecting luxury, knowing Ryusui’s influence and wealth, but this is beyond even his wildest imaginings. When Senku had said “two story”, he’d clearly forgotten to mention that that was just the guest house they’d be staying in, that sits a little ways off from the main house. It looks more like what Gen had been imagining- wooden cabin exterior, with some large, modern windows and a chimney that’s currently billowing smoke. He’s sure the inside will be rustic yet modern, with those large chandeliers and wooden furniture, tons of throw pillows, and maybe a bear skin rug.

The  _ main house, however, _ is three stories tall, and looks to be mostly glass. There are floor to ceiling windows on the first two floors, and Gen can see glistening chadeliers and flat screen tvs through the windows. The kitchen is immaculate, silver appliances visible even outside and Gen can only imagine what must be on the upper floors that he can’t see due to the drawn curtains. 

Francois and Ryusui lead the group to the guest house, though, and upon entering, Gen can feel the warmth and love. 

Like he’d assumed, there are plenty of pillows and comfy looking furniture in the large sitting room, and a flat screen tv mounted well above the roaring fireplace. There’s only one chandelier, and it’s not nearly as elegant as the one Gen saw through the windows of the main house. Gen thinks he sees a wall of framed photos, but Ryusui is leading them in the opposite direction, so he can’t see if he’s right.

“-and you guys know where everything is, so I’m just gonna leave you here,” Ryusui waves over his shoulder as he heads up the winding staircase. “Dinner is at seven; dress nicely~!” he calls in parting. Nikki and Amaryllis trail after Ryusui as he ascends the stairs, suitcases in hand, and Francois bows polite the group before heading into the kitchen.

“Alright!” Chrome shouts, dropping his bags in the middle of the sitting room. “Let’s hit the slopes~!”

“Ah ah,” Ukyo slips in front of him, cutting off his pathway with a frown. “Your bags need to go to your room first.”

“How are we dividing rooms this time?” Tsukasa asks, tugging the elastic band out of his hair and letting the long brown hair cascade down his back. 

“The same as usual?” Kohaku suggests. “Ginrou, Kinrou, and Chrome, Ukyo, Tsukasa, Senku-”

“We don’t have as many people this trip, though,” Ukyo reminds. Taiju and Yuzuriha had still been unsure about going so far from home with Aki, and Kohaku and Mozu are in another “off” period, so the man had deigned to stay at home this trip. 

“Well, I’m either staying with Ruri or in a room of my own,” Kohaku wraps her arms around Ruri’s arm possessively, leaving no room for argument, and Senku sighs.

“There’s five bedrooms in this house. If Ryusui’s gonna hog one all to himself, that leaves four for the nine of us to fight over.” Senku pats at his pockets, trying to find a pen, but comes up empty handed. “Let’s just draw straws-”

Tsukasa raises his hand and Senku nods at him, motioning for the fighter to speak as he digs through his satchel. “I don’t want to sleep in a room with Ginrou.” 

“What??” Ginrou whips around, having been distracted by a maid bustling through with a stack of linens. “What’s that supposed to mean??”

Tsukasa frowns. “It means you talk in your sleep, and I could have gone my entire life without knowing what gets you off, but-”

“Ahhh, okay okay! That’s enough!” Ginrou’s face is burning as he waves his hands in front of his face. “Fair! That’s fair!” 

“Alright,” Senku says, finally finding his small notebook and a pen. “Ryusui is taking the master, Kohaku and Ruri have one room, Ginrou and Kinrou are-”

“Wait,” Kinrou holds up one hand, “why is it just assumed that  _ I _ am to room with Ginrou??”

“Because you’re his brother.” Kohaku arches a brow at Kinrou.

“Isn’t that  _ more _ of a reason that I should get to sleep somewhere else?” Kinrou stresses. “Isn’t this supposed to be a  _ vacation?” _

“Should we rock, paper, scissors? Loser takes Ginrou?” Chrome suggests.

“I’m starting to feel  _ really insulted!” _ Ginrou cries. 

“Look,” Tsukasa holds both hands up, “let’s just close our eyes, and on the count of three, we’ll hold up a number of fingers, from one to five, and then room with whoever shares our number, alright? And if nobody does, we’ll split into odds and evens and work from there, okay?” A murmur of approval goes around the group and Senku drops his notepad and pen back into his bag.

“On the count of three,” Ruri says, and the men all close their eyes. “One… Two… Three!”

\---

“Senku please,” Chrome begs, trying to force his way into the bedroom while Senku and Gen lean heavily against the door, Senku’s hand around the knob keeping it closed. “This isn’t fair!”

“You picked three, Ginrou picked three- it’s completely fair!”

_ “VERY FUCKING INSULTED.”  _ Ginrou shouts down the hallway before a bedroom door slams. 

“You better make up with your bed partner before you have to sleep in the snow tonight!” Senku calls, making Chrome groan exasperatedly. Senku lets go of the doorknob when he hears Chrome’s footsteps heading down the hall and Gen sighs.

“Well that was an ordeal,” the AI mumbles. 

“You’re telling me,” Senku laughs, finally moving to heft their suitcases onto the bed. Gen circles around the other side of the bed and tugs the smaller red suitcase closer to him as Senku unzips the large black bag. “Sleeping arrangements are usually pretty straightforward when everyone comes to the cabin, but when we have odd groupings like this, it becomes a fight to the finish.”

“Why doesn’t anyone want to sleep with Ginrou?” Gen asks, eyebrows furrowed as he unpacks his stacks of clothes. 

“Ginrou has wet dreams and talks in his sleep,” Senku says bluntly, turning to stuff his own clothes in the chest of drawers behind him. “He’s also a cuddler. And one or the other would be manageable, but being both a sleep talker and a cuddler who has wet dreams while in a king size bed with your best friends is unacceptable.” 

Gen blinks. He’s not sure what he was expecting, but that wasn’t it.

“I… I see.”

Senku takes the stacks of clothes Gen has set on the bed and puts them in the chest of drawers alongside his own. “What do you want to do?”

“Me?” Gen asks, surprised.    
  
“Mm,” Senku takes his bag of toiletries and sets it on top of the chest of drawers along with his laptop. “Dinner isn’t for another nine hours, but the sun is gonna set around six, so if we want to snowboard or anything, we’ll need to go soon.” 

Gen sits down on the edge of the bed with a hum. “I’m not sure, really. I know, in theory, how to snowboard or ski, but-”

“-not in practicality,” Senku finishes with a smile. “That’s fine. If you don’t want to try today, we can stay in. We have all week to do whatever we want.”

“If you want to go Senku-chan, I don’t mind,” Gen insists. “I can wait here-”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Senku assures, tossing their empty suitcases into the closet. “Like I said, we’ve got all week here.” He turns to smile at Gen. “I can watch Chrome fall on his ass while trying to be cool tomorrow.”

Gen laughs, stretching his legs out on the bed in front of him. The blanket at the end of the bed is thick and cozy, and the bed feels bouncy beneath him. He’s sat on Senku’s bed before, laid across it while they talked sometimes, but he’s never slept in one before, and he’s kind of excited about it. Gen lays back against the pillows, feeling their softness beneath his head. 

“Tired?” Senku asks, sorting through the things in his satchel as he stands beside the bed.

“No,” Gen replies, wiggling around in his spot. “Just testing out the bed.”

“Ah, that’s right,” Senku looks up from his notebooks, “you’ve never slept in an actual bed, have you?”

“No~!” Gen rolls onto his side to better face Senku. “I’ve always been in my little closet. This is actually  _ really _ comfy.” Gen nuzzles the pillow under his cheek. Gen closes his eyes and listens to Senku shift papers and notebooks around, pens clinking and clacking against one another, and then the bed dips and Gen opens his eyes to find Senku laying on his back on the bed as well, arms tucked behind his head and eyes closed. “Senku-chan?”

“Seeing you so cozy made me sleepy,” Senku says. “Maybe a nap is the best thing right now.”

“Should I set an alarm?” Gen asks, unable to look away from Senku’s relaxed facial expression. 

“Nah,” Senku says around a yawn, “I don’t think I’ll sleep that late. And if I do, I can guarantee Chrome will wake me.” 

Senku falls asleep in minutes, but Gen can’t stop staring at the scientist’s relaxed form. He’s seen it a handful of times now, but the way Senku’s face smoothes out in sleep, completely defenseless and at peace, is always interesting to him. The scientist is usually stressed out or focused on his work, and it makes little frown lines appear on his forehead- Gen pauses, hand hovering inches away from Senku’s face, and pulls his hand back. 

He shouldn’t bother the sleeping scientist.

Actually, how long has Gen just been lying here staring at Senku sleep?? Isn’t that a little creepy?? What’s he supposed to say if Senku wakes up and sees him  _ still _ looking at him??

Gen hurriedly closes his eyes and puts himself into sleep mode. Senku will wake him up when he needs him.

\---

“Senku!” Gen startles awake at the sound of someone knocking on the bedroom door. “We’re going out to ski!” Chrome calls. “Are you coming??”

Senku rolled over at some point in his sleep because when Gen opens his eyes, Senku is on his side and blinking blearily at him.

“Senku??” Chrome calls again, and Senku scrubs both hands over his face.

“Uh, no,” He calls, voice still scratchy from sleep, “go on ahead.”

“Alright,” Chrome says. “If you change your mind you know where to find us!” Chrome’s heavy footfalls echo down the hallway. Senku is smiling when he pulls his hands away from his face, eyelids still heavy. 

“I told you he wouldn’t give me long,” Senku mumbles, amused.

“I think it’s been an hour,” Gen reports with a smile of his own. “Are you hungry? You haven’t eaten since dinner last night. I could make you something?”

"I should probably eat," Senku yawns, scrubs one hand over his face again.

"You can rest a bit longer," Gen says, sitting up and smoothing out the wrinkles in his sweater. "I can bring you up something once I'm finished."

"You sure?"

"Yep~!" Gen smiles at Senku over his shoulder as he makes his way across the room. "You put in extra hours just so you could take off this week; rest and enjoy your time alone while you can."

\---

The first afternoon passes by in a haze of relaxation and laziness with Gen watching Senku and the other humans meander around the cabin in various states of awareness. Tsukasa had apparently flown overnight to make it back to town in time to drive up to the cabin with everyone, so the boxer is absolutely exhausted, but he doesn't want to risk his sleep schedule further, so he's been doing everything he can to keep from sleeping until bedtime, including allowing Ukyo to shake and pinch him awake if needed throughout the afternoon. 

Ukyo is no good at sports, so he says, so he hadn't bothered going out to the slopes with everyone else either, perfectly content to read a book on the couch beside Tsukasa as the younger man plays around on his phone. Ginrou had also decided to stay behind, still petty about the room incident, and has talked one of the attendants into playing darts with him. Matsukaze is a quiet man, but he and Ginrou seem to get along well. Gen catches Matsukaze smiling at Ginrou when the blond isn't paying attention, and he saves that bit of information for later.

The food Francois makes for dinner is no less than perfection, as always, and dessert looks so amazing Gen wishes he were able to eat proper food as well. He's certain his mouth would be watering had he salavatory glands just watching the caramel sauce slowly ooze down the side of the chocolate filled pastry.

Bed time comes early that night, since everyone is exhausted from the trip and the exercise on the slopes. Everyone agrees to get up early though, and head out as a group, so Gen sets his alarm for seven before curling up in bed with Senku. 

"You can go ahead and put yourself to sleep," Senku says, fingers flying over the keys of his laptop, pen held between his pursed lips. "I gotta finish up a few things before I turn in."

"Okay~" 

Gen closes his eyes but he doesn't put himself in sleep mode right away. He listens to the low hum of Senku's laptop and the clack of his fingers across the keyboard. He opens his eyes once, just to sneak a peek, and then he finds he can't look away. 

The sight of Senku in flannel pajamas, hair down and hanging loosely around his face and neck, still slightly damp after his shower will forever be ingrained in his memory. Senku's attention is focused completely, so he doesn't notice Gen watching at first. Suddenly, the scientist looks down, catching Gen watching him, and smiles.

"What are you doing?" He asks, taking the pen out of his mouth. Gen thinks quickly.

"I figured if you were going to be awake a while longer I'd wait as well- just in case you need something."

"I could just wake you up if I do," Senku reasons.

"You could," Gen agrees, "but would you?"

"I probably wouldn't," Senku laughs breathily. "Alright," he sighs, closing his laptop and setting everything to the side of the bed, "we gotta be up early."

"Are you sure it's okay to leave that until tomorrow?" Gen asks, watching Senku slip into bed. 

"Yeah, I got most of it finished. I'll just finish up during breakfast before we leave tomorrow. Remind me?"

"Of course!" Gen smiles, internal fans whirring to life. 

"Good night Gen." Senku turns off the light, leaving them both in darkness, but Gen can still see the outline of Senku's back as he scoots around in bed, making himself comfortable.

"Good night, Senku."

\---

Gen hadn't realized how chaotic breakfast with Senku and his friends would be until he's actually sitting at the table with them. Dinner had been a little wild, but it has nothing on breakfast. The table is lined with pancakes, sausages, bacon and other breakfast items like a small buffet rather than being plated individually, meaning breakfast is a free-for-all.

"Chrome if your yogurt stains my paperwork, I will throttle you," Senku scowls at the scientist on his right, scooting his papers away from the yogurt covered spoon resting only millimeters away from them. 

"You shouldn't be doing paperwork at the breakfast table anyways," Chrome chastises around a mouthful of bacon. Senku rolls his eyes, turns his attention back to the laptop in front of him, and Gen frowns as he watches the rest of breakfast quickly get devoured.

Kohaku is on her fourth pancake and Ginrou has had more than his fair share of sausage links; at this rate, the food will all be gone before Senku can even finish his work. He looks at the scientist again, watches the way he squints at the data on screen and compares it to his notes before making a few adjustments, and sighs.

Looks like he needs to take matters into his own hands. 

Gen takes Senku's empty bowl from beside the scientist's laptop and rises from his seat to reach the food better. He bypasses the sausage and bacon and scoops a big spoonful of the nearly untouched fruit salad into Senku's bowl. The only people he sees eating the fruit salad are Ukyo and Ruri, though in Tsukasa's defense, he  _ is _ drinking a fruit smoothie, so Gen guesses it counts.

When he sits back down, Chrome grins at him from his place across the table, eyebrows raised and maple syrup on his chin. The AI ignores him, much like he's been ignoring Ginrou, Kinrou, and Kohaku arguing over the day's plans since they arrived in the dining room, and skewers a strawberry with the small silver fork resting beside Senku's elbow.

"Senku-chan, 'ah'," Gen says, holding the berry out. Senku looks up from his laptop and blinks, surprised. It takes a moment but he opens his mouth, allowing Gen to feed him the berry. He chews as he shuffles his papers, and once he finds the paper he's looking for, he turns his head and opens his mouth again, readily accepting the blackberry Gen feeds him.

""I don't need an assistant"," Gen looks up as Ukyo speaks and finds the man grinning at him and Senku, chin propped in the palm of his hand. ""I'm perfectly capable of being on my own.""

Senku raises the middle finger on his right hand, flipping Ukyo off as he leans towards Gen, mouth open and waiting for another bite. 

"Gen's not just an assistant," Senku protests once he takes another strawberry off the fork. "I'll admit, having him around has been more helpful than I expected."

Gen's internal cooling system is working double time this morning.

\---

"Alright! Nikki, Francois, please get started on cleaning while we get ready to leave for the day." Ryusui orders, standing from the head of the table with his usual flair, managing to look regal even in blue and pink swirled pajamas. 

"I'll help as well," Gen offers, stacking Senku's empty coffee mug inside his empty bowl, "more hands means the work gets done faster!" Gen pushes to his feet, takes two steps away from the table, and collapses. 

"Gen?!" Senku cries, knocking his papers off the edge of the table in his haste to get to the AI. Gen blinks as he's rolled over, confused and anxious- this has never happened before. "Gen?? What's wrong??" Everyone else is crowding around him now, with various expressions of concern, and Chrome pushes past Kohaku to kneel beside his head.

"Gen, status report." He demands immediately. Gen swallows and opens his log.

"Everything seems to be running correctly," Gen replies.

"What's his battery percentage?" Ryusui calls from somewhere in the room. 

"Ah." Gen feels stupid now. "15%"

"Power saving mode," Chrome nods, relief flooding his features. "You just need to charge for a couple hours and you'll be fine!" Senku's shoulders sag as he drags his hands over his face. 

"I don't have a charger," Senku sighs.

"What??" 

"He always charges in his base at home, so I never worried about pulling out the portable charger-" Senku tries to reason.

"You should  _ always _ have the spare charger ready!" Chrome cries. "What are you gonna do now?!"

"My battery supply will run out in approximately 45 minutes, even if I remain in power saving mode and put myself to sleep," Gen twists his lips, feeling anxious. His battery has never been this low before; he's never "died" before. It happens all the time with other things- you plug them into the charger and they're fine, they come right back to "life", but it's  _ never _ happened to Gen before, so he has no idea what to prepare for, what to expect. 

He's scared.

"You could put him in my base upstairs," Ryusui offers. "Amaryllis ought to be charged by now."

"You sure?" Senku asks. "I know Amaryllis needs a little extra TLC..."

"Nah, she's fine," Ryusui assures. "She just had maintenance last week. She's been on the charger all night."

"Gen, can you walk?" Senku asks holding his hand out for Gen to grab, but the AI shakes his head.

"Ahh," Chrome rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, "no… once he's in power saving mode, he can't use his body until he's charging. It was supposed to help conserve battery life, but I guess it's kind of a design flaw now that I look at it." 

"How the hell are we supposed to get him upstairs then??" Senku asks, incredulous.

"You grab his arms, I grab his legs?" Chrome suggests with a shrug.

_ "For fuck's sake," _ Senku sighs.

\---

Tsukasa carries Gen upstairs by himself, careful not to knock the AI against the banister or the wall on the way up, and waits until Ryusui wakes Amaryllis before setting the AI in the small containment unit. Unlike Gen's base at home, the front panels are clear, allowing Gen to see out and everyone else to see in. 

As he sits cross legged in the floor of the charging station, head lolling limply against his shoulder, he watches Tsukasa take his leave as Ryusui picks out a set of clothes for Amaryllis. The female AI had been nude when they entered the room, but now she sits on the edge of Ryusui's lavish bed, wrapped in a silky pink robe as she waits.

"Alright," Senku says, kneeling in front of the chamber, "I've got it connected. You should be charging now and free to move around." Gen tests his body and finds that he can, indeed, move his arms and legs now, and shuffles into a more comfortable sitting position with his legs crossed and hands in his lap. 

"It's gonna take a couple hours for you to fully charge," Senku sighs. "So unfortunately, that means you can't come out with us today."

"That's alright!" Gen forces a smile even through his disappointment. "There's still all week!"

Senku returns Gen's smile and nods. "Right." He raps his knuckles on the glass before rising to his feet. "Get yourself some rest. I'll come check on you when we get back."

"Yes sir~" Gen relaxes against the back wall of the chamber and closes his eyes, trying not to feel too depressed about having to miss out on everything. It's not so much that he wanted to learn to snowboard or ski or anything… he was just looking forward to spending time with everyone.

"When are you going to let Chrome and Kaseki give Amaryllis an overhaul?"

Senku's voice has Gen's breath catching in his throat.

"When she can no longer function without one," Ryusui quips. Gen opens his eyes to watch Ryusui pass Amaryllis an armful of clothes and the AI makes her way into the en suite bathroom to change. 

"Aren't you having to have her maintenanced every couple weeks now?" Senku asks. "She was one of the first models; they've come a long way since Amaryllis was created. I'm sure Chrome and Kaseki could-"

"I'm sure they could do a lot of things," Ryusui hums, unbuttoning his sleep shirt, "but if they messed with anything more than simple repairs, she'd no longer be my Amaryllis, you know?"

"What are you gonna do if they can't fix her one day?" Senku watches Ryusui rifle through his suitcase. "If the only solution is to give her a complete overhaul?"

"Then I'd rather she just be turned off and never used again," Ryusui answers without looking up from his suitcase. "Amaryllis is delicate, yes, but she's a good AI. I've had her for years, and though she might not feel anything for me because she's a machine, it doesn't change the feelings I have for her." He stands up, long sleeved shirt in hand, and smiles at Senku. 

"Think of it this way: say you had to choose between starting over from the beginning with someone or letting them go. The catch? If you start over, they'll have no memories of you, even if you remember them. But if you let them go, you both get to keep the memories you've made." Amaryllis comes out of the bathroom then, and Senku doesn't seem to have an answer for Ryusui's question, but Gen doesn't want to know what Senku would do anyway.

The whole conversation has him feeling on edge and he doesn't want to hear anymore, so he finally puts himself in sleep mode. 

\---

When Gen finishes charging a few hours later, he comes out of sleep mode automatically, and the latch on the door pops open. 

The house is still and quiet without any of the usual occupants in it. Gen gives a polite nod as he passes by Francois in the upstairs hallway and she returns it with a small smile. He and Francois are actually the most similar in software and features since he was made only a few years after her. In a way, he guesses he's the "improved" version of Francois, but watching Francois work really makes him wonder exactly which one of them is the more perfected version. 

It's still quiet downstairs as well, but passing by the game room, Gen hears an odd noise. He pauses, halfway past the door, and takes a step backwards to frown in confusion at the almost closed door. 

If everyone is out snowboarding, who is in the game room..?

Gen pads forward quietly and pushes the door open just another inch or two to give him room to peer around the edge and promptly feels his internal fans start up. If he had a heart, he's sure it would be in his throat right now, because he knows his eyes are as wide as possible. 

Ginrou's cheek is pressed to the green felt of the pool table, eyes squeezed shut and hands clenched into fists beside his head. His mouth hangs open, allowing the barest traces of drool to escape past his puffy pink lips and stain the fabric beneath him. His shirt is rucked up under his armpits, held in place by the same hand holding Ginrou's head down. 

Matsukaze's hair has been tugged free of his professional looking bun and hangs loose around his shoulders, casting shadows over his face and making him look even more intense. His eyes are focused on Ginrou's body as it arches and jerks, his right hand gripping the soft skin of Ginrou's waist, holding tight enough to ensure there will be bruises later. The slap of skin against skin is just loud enough to be heard over the low groans and whines of pleasure pouring out of Ginrou's open mouth, and even though Matsukaze appears to be fully dressed, Gen is  _ certain _ that at least  _ one _ part of him is exposed. 

The man suddenly looks up, eyes hooded and dark, bottom lip caught between his teeth, and Gen freezes. The butler smiles though, soft and secretive. He releases Ginrou's waist to press a finger to his lips, silently telling Gen not to say a word. Gen gives a sharp nod and quickly withdraws from the room and continues down the hallway. When he gets to the living room, he has to brace his hands on the back of the couch and take a few deep breaths.

That was… intense. Unexpected and intense. Gen had never seen anything like that before. He knows what sex is, sure- he has basic knowledge of most things and the internet is literally at the tips of his fingers, but he'd never had a reason to look for video references- for images and in depth descriptions.

And he's absolutely never felt the heavy, lingering emotions that seeing Matsukaze and Ginrou having sex evoked inside him. 


	9. What Happens in the Cabin... (pt 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The week long vacation continues, and Senku makes a startling realization.
> 
> Honestly, he really should have read Gen's manual...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am, cutting a chapter in half again, because this vacation week is getting out of hand. 
> 
> Note: there's some pretty suggestive stuff in the last section or two, so be prepared for that. 
> 
> The tags are getting updated next chapter, and the tension that has built in the last couple chapters will be coming to a head. 🔥

“You’re up!” Senku’s voice brings a smile to Gen’s face immediately.

“I am!” Gen doesn’t look up from where he’s carefully filleting fish, but he can still see Senku's relieved smile in his peripheral vision. "I figured I'd give Francois a hand with dinner preparations since I didn't really have much else to do." 

"Sounds like fun," Senku leans against the counter beside Gen, watching the AI work. "I went into town earlier and got a spare charger. Chrome said a regular cell phone charger would work, but I'm not sure if I got the right type," Senku frowns. Gen passes the cutting board off to Francois when she pads closer and wipes his hands on the cup towel laying on the counter.

"Do you have it with you?" Gen asks, turning to fully face Senku. "You could test it out and see right now, before it's too late to make any returns or exchanges."

"Yeah!" Senku pats his pockets, searching for the cord, until he finally finds it in the pocket of his jacket. Gen lifts his sweater, revealing his pale stomach and chest, and Senku kneels in front of him. "It's your belly button, right?"

"Right," Gen nods, even though Senku isn't paying attention. The scientist squints at Gen's charging port as he unravels the black cord.

"This angle is kind of shadowy. I can't tell if this is the right cord," he frowns at the boxy tip of the charger and Gen looks around the room, trying to figure out what he can do to help.

"Oh, maybe if I-" he drops the cream colored sweater, turns to brace his palms on the edge of the counter, and hefts himself up onto the marbled countertop. He lifts his sweater again and leans back on his elbows, putting his stomach on display. "Is this better?"

"Much," Senku nods to himself, finally getting the cord unraveled, and steps in between Gen's knees. He rests his left hand beside Gen's charging port, on the AI's lower abdomen, and brings the cord up to Gen's stomach.

"-but if we do that then-" Chrome's voice stops abruptly and Gen cranes his neck to peer around Senku's shoulder as the scientist fits the charger into his port.

"Yeah, that'll fit just fine," he murmurs to himself, and Gen watches Chrome's mouth drop open in shock. Ruri is beet red beside him and Gen can feel the embarrassment hit him like a freight train.

_ "In the kitchen, Senku?!" _ Chrome suddenly cries, startling Senku who yanks the charging cord out of Gen roughly. The AI hisses, face contorting, and it didn't hurt- Gen has no pain receptors- but the response just happened involuntarily. After all, that's a very sensitive place. If Senku isn't more careful he'll damage his charging facilities- but that's not really the problem right now.

"What?!" Senku turns around with a frown. "Why can't I see if it fits in the kitchen??"

Ruri lets out an embarrassed noise, hands coming up to cover her overly heated face. Even the tips of Chrome's ears are red at Senku's words.

"Senku-chan, please stop," Gen begs, sitting up and tugging his sweater down. At times like these, he's incredibly grateful that he can't show his embarrassment like humans can. "There's been a  _ huge  _ misunderstanding..." Gen says, peeking out around Senku once more. Chrome frowns, gaze shifting from Senku to Gen and back. 

"Misunderstanding?"

\---

"I cannot  _ believe _ you thought I was having sex with Gen on the kitchen counter." Senku hisses, his own cheeks pink now.

"What else was I supposed to think?!" Chrome throws his arms out. "Walking into the kitchen and seeing Gen spread eagle on the counter with you in between his thighs-"

"You could have thought of literally anything else and been closer to the right answer!" Senku rubs his temples. "Gen is an AI-"

"So??" Chrome's challenging tone has Senku pausing. "You think people don't have sex with robots?? There's an entire market for that!" 

"There might be a market for it but I'm not..." Senku pauses, watching Gen move around the kitchen with Francois through the patio doors, soft smile on his lips. "Gen isn't…" Chrome clicks his tongue and Senku turns his head to watch Chrome as he pushes away from the railing on the back porch.

"You  _ really _ should have read the manual."

\---

Senku spends the rest of the evening trying to figure out what Chrome meant by that. 

Sure, he should have read the manual when he first got Gen. He already knows that. If he had, he wouldn't have gotten off to such a poor start with the AI. But what's done is done, and Senku has been doing everything he can to make up for acting like a selfish asshole the first few weeks of Gen's life with him. 

That conversation had been about sex robots, though. AI specifically built to pleasure humans. 

Chrome and Kaseki's AI don't have those functions. There have been attempts, but nothing more than what amounts to a fleshlight or inflatable dildo attached to the AI, and the ideas had been eventually scrapped. He knows because Chrome would have beaten his door down to talk about putting a functioning sex on an AI-

_ "Don't encourage Ryusui. He's been trying to get the old man and Chrome to work out functioning sexes for ages now. It's not an easy concept." _

_ "It's not," Gen agrees. "Which is why my, er," he lowers his voice, ""pleasuring facilities" are only a mockery of an actual orifice." _

_ "Are you telling me that there's… something there? You're not just androgynous?" _

_ "I am. I am mostly androgynous! I just also have a um. A-" _

_ "A vaginal orifice?" _

_ "If that's what you'd like me to call it, then yes. I have a semi-functioning vaginal orifice between my legs." _

Senku's breath whooshes out of him all at once and he has to sit down on the edge of the bed. 

"Is  _ that _ what he meant?" 

"What who meant?" Senku looks up as Gen steps into the bedroom and pushes the door closed behind him, one hand ruffling a pale blue towel through his bicolored hair. Gen's torso is bare, as are his legs, so the only thing covering Gen's body is the snug, black boxer briefs Gen has taken a liking too. "Senku-chan?"

"Nothing," Senku says a little too quickly. "Is that all you're wearing to bed?" He tries to change the subject. Gen blinks at the scientist and then down at himself.

"This is what I always wear to bed..?" His tone takes on a questioning lilt and Senku nods, clears his throat awkwardly.

"Right. Right."

"Senku-chan, are you feeling alright?" Gen questions, padding across the room to press his forehead to Senku's. "Your face is pink but you're not running a fever-"

Senku pushes Gen's face away from his own, trying not to be too rough. "I'm just- tired." Gen is still watching him with concern so Senku smiles. "We spent all day on the slopes. I probably just overdid it since I'm not used to being so active."

"If you're sure that's all…" 

"Make sure you dry your hair properly," Senku says, grabbing his clothes from beside him and rising to his feet. “You’ll get the pillow all wet if you don’t. There’s a hair dryer in the top drawer of the dresser,” Senku nods at the chest of drawers beside the bed and Gen nods, his arm brushing against Senku’s as the scientist slips past him. “I’m going to shower.”

In the silence of the bathroom, Senku stares at his flushed cheeks and questions a lot of things.

\---

On Wednesday, Gen finally gets the chance to try skiing and, as Gen predicted, he absolutely sucks. 

Having the knowledge of how to do something absolutely does  _ not _ equate being able to do it. 

But Senku is patient and only laughs a little when he slips and stumbles. For as awkward and odd as he'd been the night before, Senku seems to be back to normal this morning. Maybe the scientist really  _ had _ been tired last night. After they break for lunch, Gen tries snowboarding with Ukyo and Ryusui and he's significantly worse at snowboarding than skiing.

"I thought you weren't any good at sports??" Gen cries, watching Ukyo zip down the snowy slopes with ease. Ukyo skids to a stop beside Gen where he lays awkwardly, spraying snow but maintaining his balance, and grins as he helps Gen stand up again. 

"I'm not actually that good," Ukyo assures. "I've just had plenty of practice."

When they break for lunch, Gen throws in the metaphorical towel and decides to stay at the cabin instead of going back out with everyone else. Senku offers to stay behind with him to keep him company, but Gen assures him that he'll be fine. 

"I'll help Francois with dinner preparations, or maybe I'll just curl up on the couch and watch my shows." Gen shoots Senku a wink and the scientist rolls his eyes, fond smile on his lips. 

When Gen gets back to the cabin, he does his usual clean out- deleting memories and files he no longer needs, and then curls up on the couch, just like he said he would, with the t.v. remote in hand. He pauses though, thumb hovering over the power button.

Should he really be using his valuable memory space for t.v. programming that he'll just have to delete later..? Gen frowns and sets the remote back down on the end table and scoots down on the couch to rest his head against a throw pillow. Even just laying here staring at the ceiling will take up space that could be used for something more important…

So Gen puts himself to sleep.

When everyone comes in in a few hours, he'll wake up and help with dinner preparations and pretend like he didn't spend hours in the couch in rest mode.

\---

Thursday passes in much the same fashion as Monday, with everyone going their own way, but a small snow storm rolls in Thursday night, keeping everyone inside Friday. 

The cabin is large enough that no one would have to be in the same room with anyone else if they didn't want to be, but since the purpose of the trip  _ is _ spending time together, they all find themselves piling into the living room, dimming the lights, and having a movie marathon. Francois and the other servants keep a steady stream of snacks and cocoa flowing into the living room, and since there's limited seating couch seating, the "Move Your Feet, Lose Your Seat" rule comes into effect. By evening, almost everyone who had been sitting on the couches in the morning are sitting in the floor now and vice versa. Ukyo has made himself at home in Tsukasa's lap, however, and Kohaku has confiscated the couch pillows to make her spot on the floor more comfortable. 

Gen isn't sure if anyone else noticed that Ginrou's "bathroom break" lasted over half an hour, or that the blond came back with a glazed expression on his face considering they were in the middle of a suspenseful movie, but Gen isn't going to point it out. He watches Ginrou take one of Kohaku's unused couch pillows from her pile and sit gingerly down upon the soft cushion. Only minutes later, Matsukaze is bringing in a fresh mug of cocoa on a small silver tray. He kneels beside Ginrou, offering the mug with a warm smile, and Ginrou's cheeks are pink as he takes the steaming mug from Matsukaze with a quiet "Thank you." 

The man looks just as put together as he had this morning, and if Gen hadn't seen what he had just days ago, he never would have suspected a thing. The man meets Gen's eyes as he rises to his feet and offers Gen a small smile as well. He nods his head and Gen smiles back- he doesn't wanna seem rude- and Matsukaze pads out of the living room, silver tray tucked under his arm.

"Everything alright?" Senku asks. Gen smiles.

"Of course!"

\---

After dinner, the movie marathon continues- with horror movies. 

Gen isn't sure he likes this genre. Far too many jumpscares and buckets worth of blood. After nearly jumping off the end of the couch when someone gets their head lobbed off, he has to take a breather. When he returns from his trip to the kitchen, he finds Chrome in his seat. 

“You know the rules~” Chrome sing-songs, making himself cozy in the corner seat. Senku rolls his eyes, and Gen is preparing to take a seat on the floor beside Ginrou when Chrome suddenly smiles.

“Why don’t you just sit in Senku’s lap?” he suggests. Senku stiffens and Gen’s processors stop functioning.

“...What?” 

“What?” Chrome parrots, smile widening. “There’s plenty of room. You’re pretty tiny, after all.”

“I’m sure Senku-chan doesn’t want me getting in his way,” Gen tries to laugh the suggestion off. For some reason, the thought of sitting in Senku’s lap has him feeling… odd. “I can just sit down here and-”

“Nonsense,” Chrome waves off his concerns. “Look, even Nikki and Amaryllis aren’t sitting on the floor.” Chrome is right; on the larger couch, Nikki is seated on the far left, her arm casually tossed over Ryusui’s shoulders as the blond rests his head on her plush-looking chest. Amaryllis is seated in his lap, her dainty legs in between his longer, more muscular ones, as one of Ryusui’s large palms rests on her covered stomach. On the opposite end, Ukyo is curled up in Tuskasa’s lap, hands covering his eyes and only peeking out every few seconds. Tsukasa hardly looks fazed, but every time Ukyo has jumped, the younger man has rubbed a soothing hand up and down Ukyo’s trembling back until the scene is over. “Besides,” Chrome continues, drawing Gen’s attention again, “sitting in the floor means being right in Ruri’s line of-”

_ “AHHHHH!” _ Ruri screams when the ax wielding murderer suddenly appears, grabbing the nearest person- who just so happens to be Kohaku- around the neck and clinging to her like a ragdoll with tears in her eyes. Kohaku chokes, hands flying up to make just enough space between Ruri’s arms and her windpipe to breathe, and Gen winces in sympathy. 

“Yeah… we don’t watch horror movies together…” Chrome watches Kohaku try to calm Ruri down for a moment longer before smiling up at Gen. “So there you go. Sitting with Senku is infinitely safer than sitting on the floor.”

Gen can't tell how Senku really feels about the situation just by looking at his face, but he can't imagine Senku holding him like Ryusui is holding Amaryllis, or even as casually as Tsukasa is supporting Ukyo… 

"Well then… do you mind, Senku-chan..?" Senku clears his throat and offers Gen a small smile.

"Nah. Go for it."

\---

The first half hour is awkward, to say the least.

The movie comes to a close not long after Gen takes his place between Senku's thighs and they start the final horror movie of the night. It's Kohaku's choice, so everyone braces themselves…

Gen is reclined against Senku's chest, not quite "relaxed" against Senku, but not rigid either. Senku feels much the same way behind him; not quite tense, but definitely not relaxed. Senku's thighs bracket his hips, and Gen sits on the couch between Senku's legs instead of directly on Senku, so the man can see the television just fine without having to lean or crane his neck to see around Gen. Senku's hands rest at his sides, and Gen keeps his hands resting on his stomach.

The movie is only two hours long, and Gen really only has to wait until someone else moves from their seat so he can take theirs. It shouldn't be too hard. 

But no one seems to be able to move when the sex scene happens twenty minutes in. Even now, after three different horror movies, Gen can't understand why  _ anyone _ would think having sex in an old, abandoned house would be smart. Or in the woods. Or, in this particular movie, in the backseat of a car parked on the side of the road. 

Next to a forest.

Where there is undoubtedly an abandoned house somewhere nearby, that definitely houses a murderer-

Gen digresses.

Usually, the sex scenes happen and pass by pretty quickly. It's a fade to black thing, or just gives you teases and glimpses; that's what the other movies had done, anyways. This movie, however, seems to be much more… explicit. 

Gen watches as the man on screen presses scorching, sloppy kisses down the woman's lithe body, trailing down to her waistline, and he feels his internal fans whir to life, trying to cool him down. He can't even say for certain whether or not he's the only one feeling this way because he can't seem to take his eyes off the screen. 

Not when the man takes his mouth off her body and rolls her over against the leather seats, hoisting her hips up to put them at the perfect position for him to enter her, and definitely not when the camera angle changes, showing the woman's face contort in pleasure as she's penetrated. Gen swallows hard, fingers knotting themselves in the folds of his sweater, and he shifts-

And then he freezes. 

His breath catches. 

Senku has gone rigid behind him.

He sees Senku's fingers grip the couch cushion beneath them out of the corner of his eye and Gen's mind is racing- his breathing is slightly elevated. It couldn't possibly...

Gen shifts again, and this time, Senku's left hand grips him by the waist, stills his movements, and Gen knows there's no other possibility.

Senku is hard.


	10. What Happens in the Cabin... (pt 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If there were any doubt in Gen's mind what this feeling was before, there isn't anymore.
> 
> He loves Senku.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tags have been updated!!! 
> 
> This chapter contains NSFW material, so proceed with caution. 😏  
> There's also a descriptive section about Gen's vaginal orifice, so squink warning! 
> 
> Also, I'd like to let everyone know that Chapter 11 will absolutely not come as quickly as this chapter (though I'm sure you all knew this was a fluke, lmaooo).  
> I'll be hard at work the next couple weeks on my half of a collaboration, but extra good news: the collaboration is for a SenGen fic and art! 💚💜💖
> 
> I'm very, very excited for you guys to see the finished products, because I'm in love with it wholeheartedly and it's not even halfway finished yet. 💞
> 
> As always, thank you for you patience and support, and I hope you all enjoy this spicy chapter~!

Gen can't tell you who lived or died, or even what the plot of the movie was. He can't think of anything past the erection pressing into his lower back. 

He doesn't know what to do.

What- what's the protocol for when your master gets hard while you sit in his lap??

Does he- well no, he certainly doesn't _say_ anything- not in a room full of Senku’s friends.

Does he- should he try to help Senku out..?? Senku would surely be embarrassed if anyone noticed his untimely erection. With that thought in mind, Gen scoots his waist back, pressing himself flush against Senku, trying to make sure that no one would be able to see the bulge in Senku's pants should they happen to look over. Senku inhales sharply, left hand tightening on Gen's waist.

"What are you doing?" Senku's voice is barely a whisper, breathed into Gen's ear, and Gen can see the tense set of Senku's jaw without having to turn his head. 

"Helping you," Gen murmurs. Senku turns his head to look at him this time, eyes wide. 

_"How so?"_

"Everything alright?" Chrome leans over to ask quietly, eyebrows creased in concern. 

"Yeah," Senku assures quickly. "Fine." Chrome eyes them for another moment, eyes narrowing further and Gen knows he's not going to just let this go.

"This movie is just a little much for me," Gen murmurs, smiling sheepishly. 

"Ah," Chrome nods understandingly. "Kohaku's picks can be a little-" a scream comes from the television and Chrome winces, "-gorey… You don't have to stay for the rest of the movie if you don't want to. Ukyo and Ginrou already turned in as well." Gen hadn't even noticed them leave.

"Are you sure?" Gen asks, already scooting to the edge of the couch, left hand wrapped around Senku's.

"Yeah, it's fine," Chrome assures quietly, moving back to his own seat. "We'll all be going to bed after this one anyways."

"Then, if you'll excuse us," Gen smiles as he stands, swiftly pulling Senku along with him. "We'll see you in the morning."

He leads Senku out of the living room and upstairs by the hand, not giving Chrome even a second to question why Senku is coming as well, but he has a feeling the scientist knows anyways…

Only when they're safely in their room, backs pressed against the door, reminiscent of their first day there, does Gen let out a long, slow breath. Senku is staring at the AI when he opens his eyes and the gravity of the situation is finally settling on Gen.

Neither of them speaks for a long moment.

"Isn't this better, Senku-chan..?" Gen breaks the silence, forces an awkward smile. "I thought it might be embarrassing if the others noticed your er- _situation._ But now you can take care of it here, in private- or even in the shower, if you prefer-" he's rambling and he knows it, so he forces himself to stop.

Senku's face is red as he pushes away from the door, crossing the room to sit awkwardly on the side of the bed. "Thank you for uh. Your consideration." Senku clears his throat. "But I'll just ignore it."

"You can do that..?" Gen frowns curiously. Senku's face _can_ get redder, Gen notes.

"I can," Senku confirms. "If you- if _I_ just ignore it, it'll eventually go away."

"Is that how you always handle situations like this..?" Gen can't help but ask. Senku covers his face with one hand and exhales heavily. 

"Gen…"

"I-" he falters. Should he really be saying this? Should he really be pushing this..? "I could help you find relief." 

No going back now.

Senku doesn't move, and Gen's heart would be racing if he had one. "I have the proper facilities," Gen continues, trying not to sound as anxious as he feels. "Helping to satisfy your sexual urges is part of my programming."

"...is it?" 

Gen nods even though Senku still hasn't looked up at him. "It is- though that portion of my functions is still as of yet, untested I-" Gen falters. Can he really consider himself "untested" in that department considering what Hyoga did to him..?

Senku sighs again, scrubbing his hands over his face, and Gen's stomach sinks. When Hyoga put his hands on Gen's body, he didn't feel anything like this. The anxiety in his stomach didn’t feel bubbly, it felt sickening. He didn’t _want_ to feel Hyoga’s hands on his body. He didn’t want to let the other man breach parts of him unknown to even his creators. He didn’t want to be held so tightly and fiercely by Hyoga… 

But imagining Senku in that place- imagining Senku hovering over him, holding him like Matsukaze had held Ginrou...

"Look, Gen, I just don't know-" Gen's thick, black sweater hitting the carpeted floor sounds so much louder than it really is, and it halts Senku's words before they can even fully form. Gen pushes the sweater out of the way with one bare foot as he pads closer to the end of the bed. Senku stares, wide eyed, as Gen's nimble fingers undo the snaps on his jeans without even looking at them. When he's down to just his boxers, Gen kneels on the foot of the bed, and licks his lips.

"I want to help you, Senku-chan," he murmurs, hands resting on the mattress in front of him. "Let me help."

Gen watches Senku's throat bob when he swallows, watches crimson eyes rove over Gen's exposed body, and the scientist gives a small, jerky nod.

"Okay."

\---

Senku can't believe he's doing this. 

He can’t believe he’s kneeling between the AI’s spread legs, both of them completely naked. Gen had helped him undress in silence, had run the pads of his fingers over Senku’s bare chest after his shirt had been pulled off over his head, and the feeling of Gen’s knuckles brushing his lower abdomen had Senku’s stomach doing an aerial ballet. 

Now Gen lays beneath him, hands resting on the pillow beside his head, smooth legs bent at the knee just so, leaving nothing to the imagination, and Senku gulps. Gen’s unblemished pale skin makes him look like a doll, but he’s never seen a doll with a labia before. It doesn’t look cartoonish or embellished like many sex toys in the market- it looks something you might see on a _real_ person, and it’s throwing Senku off. 

He’s just a robot. He’s programmed for this, Senku keeps reminding himself, but no matter how many times he says it, now that he’s begun looking at Gen as a sentient being, he can’t see Gen as just a robot anymore. This isn’t just an AI owner finding release with his sex toy, it’s- it’s-

Gen’s left hand cups his chin, bringing Senku’s attention back up to Gen’s face, and the AI smiles teasingly. “It won’t bite.”

Senku scoffs. “I didn’t think it would.” He looks down again at the puffy lips of Gen’s labia, his lengthy cock inches away from brushing against the sex, and back up at Gen. “I don’t have any lube.”

“I do,” Gen lets go of Senku’s chin, rests his left hand on his stomach and brings his right hand down to spread the folds of his labia, revealing the pink interior. Before Senku can question him, Gen is shoving two fingers into himself without batting an eye. Senku watches wide eyed as he thrusts the fingers into himself a few times, seemingly swirling and stretching them apart, before pulling them out with a slick noise. “Self-lubrication,” Gen reports, a note of pride in his voice. “With a little stimulation, I can provide my own slick.”

“That’s…” Senku has absolutely no words. The fluid on Gen’s fingers glint in the lamp light and the AI wipes his fingers on his lower abdomen haphazardly. He spreads his legs a bit further, right hand moving back down to part his lips in preparation for Senku.

“I’m ready for you, Senku-chan.” Gen purrs.

It shouldn’t make Senku shiver like that. Watching Gen spread himself open, his hooded eyes and parted pink lips- they shouldn’t have Senku this worked up.

With one hand around the base of his cock and the other holding the back of Gen’s knee, Senku presses into Gen’s pliant body. Senku gasps as his head pops into the tight channel, fingers tightening on Gen’s leg and eyes fluttering shut. Inside of Gen it’s hot and wet and tight and Senku has never had a cocksleeve that felt _this_ real. 

It’s almost _too_ real.

He presses in further, until his hips meet Gen’s, and Gen’s inner walls contract around him. Senku gasps, in shock this time, and his eyes fly open. Gen is watching him intently, his own eyes wide and pink lips parted. “What was that?” Senku rasps. 

“My-” Gen clears his throat and tries again, “my internal walls react to stimulation. It- I contract rhythmically to help stimulate you; to make it feel more real.”

“It feels _too fucking real,”_ Senku groans, eyes falling closed when Gen’s vaginal walls contract around him again. He slowly pulls out, savoring the feeling of Gen’s heat, his slick walls and the tight suction around his cock, and pushes back in, another small groan bubbling out. 

He’s not a virgin, not at his age, but he can’t say he’s practiced either, and it’s been more than a handful of months since his last fling. He’s going to come embarrassingly quickly and he knows it. 

His eyes open again when he feels Gen shift and he can’t help the way his hips stutter when he sees Gen, hands clenched into fists in the pillow above his head, white hair contrasting with the pale blue pillow case beneath him, spread out like a half halo, eyelids at half mast and mouth still hanging open, chest rising and falling heavily. When Senku thrusts forward, Gen arches his body, trying to push into Senku’s thrusts, and knowing Gen is going to such lengths for Senku- trying so hard to please Senku-

_“Gen,”_ he grits out, gripping Gen tightly behind both knees, “I’m going to use you.”

“Yes,” Gen gasps as Senku pushes Gen’s knees up towards his chest, spreads his legs as far apart as he can, “use me, Senku-chan- I was made for you to-” 

Senku thrusts as deep as he can, cutting off Gen’s words before they can stoke the flames in Senku’s body any higher, and sets a fast, hard pace. Gen’s internal walls are still milking him, schlick noises are filling the otherwise silent room, overshadowed only by the sound of skin slapping against skin and his own grunts and groans. Gen is bent nearly in half but the AI doesn’t complain at all, even when Senku thrusts in for a final time and comes so hard he feels lightheaded. Gen’s walls clench around him, milking him for every last drop, and Senku lets out a strangled cry as he hunches over Gen’s body, hips twitching as he jerks his way through the aftershocks. Gen’s arms wrap around his shoulders, holding him tightly, crooning sweet praises in his ear, and Senku shudders through another wave of pleasure. 

When he’s finally spent, he runs his hands gently up Gen’s legs, from thighs to hips, and holds tight as he carefully pulls his cock free of Gen’s body. A small trail of come escapes after Senku pulls out, trailing down between Gen’s cheeks and dripping onto the comforter beneath them. Senku flops onto his back beside Senku, exhausted, and throws an arm over his eyes to block out the lamp light. He hears Gen shift next to him.

"I hope that was satisfactory?” He asks quietly. Senku huffs a laugh and lets his arm fall away so he can smile lazily at Gen.

“I should think so.”

Gen’s smile is soft, tinged with relief. "Good." Gen is laying on his side now, facing Senku, with his hands tucked under the pillow beneath his cheek. As Senku's brain slowly comes back online, he rolls over as well, bringing them face to face.

"Did you feel that?" He asks, trusting Gen to understand what he means without going into detail.

"I felt it," Gen confirms, "but I only felt that something was inside me; I didn't feel any pleasure or pain." Gen's smile turns cheeky. "But it seems like you felt plenty of pleasure for the both of us."

"Shut up," Senku huffs on a laugh. He doesn't tell Gen how long it's been since he'd slept with anyone. It just doesn't seem like something he should say right now. 

"Could I," Gen pauses, licks his lips almost nervously and tries again, "could I help you like this again sometime..?"

Senku's heart skips a beat.

He doesn't allow himself to dwell on it- on why he's feeling like this over Gen- because if he does, he's almost certain he won't like the answer.

"I'd like that," Senku admits. Gen's answering smile makes warmth blossom in Senku's chest.

"Ah, one more thing," Gen shifts, expression turning sheepish, "I hate to break the mood like this, but my insides aren't um… I can't absorb your semen, I mean, and if it sits inside me too long-"

"Right," Senku bolts upright, swinging his legs over the bed as he looks around the room for his pajama bottoms. "Right." He repeats, tugging on the bright yellow cotton pants, "I'll get something to clean you up with."

When he steps into the hallway, he freezes. Chrome is coming out of his room, a towel and change of clothes in one arm, and he stops in his tracks when he sees Senku as well. 

Senku has no idea what he looks like, but what he and Gen did must be completely obvious because a shit-eating grin breaks out over Chrome's face and Senku knows he will _never_ hear the end of this.

"Not one word," he demands, pointing a finger at his fellow scientist. Chrome mimes zipping his lips and locking them, annoying Senku further, but he doesn't say anything. They stand in the bathroom together in silence as Senku waits for the water to heat up so he can wet a cloth for Gen, and Chrome waits for Senku to leave so he can bathe. Senku thinks maybe, just maybe, Chrome is gonna let him off tonight, but when he steps back out into the hallway, wet cloth in hand, Chrome leers at him, waggles his eyebrows.

"How were the new features?"

"Fuck off."

\---

Ryusui's "Birthday Extravaganza" is in full swing on Saturday. 

By the time Senku and Gen leave the bedroom on Saturday morning, the cabin is mostly empty, save for a few attendants. 

"The staff is all at the main house preparing for the party tonight," Senku tells Gen as he pulls a can of coffee out of the refrigerator. "That's probably where Ryusui is as well."

"I assume that means more guests will be arriving later today?" Gen stops Senku from closing the fridge so he can reach in and pull out a cup of yogurt. 

"Yeah," Senku nods, an amused huff passing through his lips when Gen sets the cup of yogurt into his empty hand. "Ryusui's family, some of the other high brow people he associates with."

"I see," Gen pulls a spoon out of the drawers beside him, following Senku as the scientist heads towards the living room. 

"It's more boring than it sounds," Ukyo is already seated on the smaller couch, tv remote in one hand and a bowl of oatmeal in the other. "A bunch of stiffs in suits, mostly talking business and kissing up."

"So you won't be going?" Gen asks, making himself comfortable next to Senku on the larger couch. 

"Oh no, I'll go," Ukyo sets the remote on the side table and stirs his oatmeal. "I brought a suit. I'll just probably hang around the fringes of the party with the other outcasts." He smiles before taking a bite of the mushy looking breakfast food. 

"We don't have to go if you don't want to," Senku tells Gen, taking a bite of his own breakfast. "It's more of a responsibility thing than a party thing anyways."

"The Nanami family functions are usually big, classy events, but Ryusui prefers small, more intimate gatherings, when he can get away with it," Ukyo explains. "Which is why he brings all his close friends up to the cabin for a week of fun and relaxation in a celebration just for "Ryusui" before the birthday celebration of "Nanami Ryusui"."

"That explains a lot," Gen murmurs to himself. 

"Do you want to go?" Senku asks, scraping the last bits of yogurt from his container.

"Well, we brought suits as well," Gen smiles. "It would be a waste not to wear them."

\---

When Ukyo said it was boring, he hadn't been lying.

It feels more like some kind of business gala or charity benefit than a birthday party. It's not a huge gathering, but the lower levels of the main house are definitely packed with people. Everywhere Gen looks he sees bowties and nice suits and dresses covered with sequins. 

Chrome and Ruri make a beautiful pair with her long sleeved, sequin covered gown and his glittering bowtie, and Kohaku hadn't planned on leaving the guest house tonight, but when Mozu showed up in a suit with flowers and wine, she'd disappeared upstairs for twenty minutes and came down looking like a whole new person in her maroon colored dress. Tsukasa and Ukyo look dapper as always, and Kinrou and Ginrou clean up almost as nicely as Kohaku. Gen finds it almost funny how strong the family resemblance is in those three though they're only cousins as opposed to Ruri who practically oozes with grace and elegance. Then again, Kinrou _is_ pretty strict and noble some days…

Gen digresses.

He's only seen Ryusui from afar today, since the man has been surrounded by guests almost constantly, but he's certainly a sight in his three piece suit with Amaryllis on his arm. Her wine red dress matches his vest, and Francois and Nikki stand behind him in their own black and white suits, keeping a careful eye on the crowd and their master. 

Even Master Kaseki is in attendance, wearing a top hat with his crisp black suit. His personal security AI, Magma, as Kaseki calls him, trails along behind the elderly craftsman with his usual sour, bored expression. Kaseki had been so excited to see Gen it'd made the AI excited as well. Kaseki had wanted to hear all about Gen's latest adventures and excitement- but of course, there were still plenty of other hands Kaseki needed to shake and small talk to be made. 

He'd asked Chrome and Senku to walk with him, and instead of being dragged around the room like a show prop, he'd excused himself to the snack table- that is still practically untouched..? 

No one is around the table, even though the spread is expansive and beautifully displayed. As he looks around the room, he sees the people mingling taking small bits of the exact same food that's on this table off of silver trays carried by staff instead and it makes Gen shake his head. It seems like such a waste; why put out a spread of food that no one will eat?? What's the purpose??

Gen would certainly partake in the snacks, if he only had the ability to digest food.

"Oho. Who would've thought we run in the same social circles as well?"

Gen stiffens, eyes going round. It couldn't possibly be- not here, not now- Gen whirls around, but unfortunately his ears aren't playing tricks on him; Hyoga is standing behind him, hands tucked into the pockets of his black suit pants. His eyes are smiling, and he's still wearing that god forsaken mask, and Gen absolutely cannot _believe_ this. 

"Why are you here?" He hisses, not even pretending to be civil. He folds his arms over his chest defensively, eyes Hyoga suspiciously. The white haired man laughs, leaning in so close their arms brush as he takes a flute of champagne from the table. 

"I could ask you the same question." He steps back, giving Gen space to breathe again, and looks Gen over from head to toe. "Your craftsmanship never ceases to amaze me. I wouldn't know you were a robot had I not slit your throat myself."

Gen scoffs. "That's a fantastic conversation starter."

"It's one of my best," Hyoga huffs, amused.

"Why are you here?" Gen repeats. "And isn't this a black tie affair?" He nods his chin at Hyoga's mask.

"It is," he hooks a finger over the top of the mask, tugging it down to just below his chin and Gen's breath catches. "But out of courtesy for others, I keep these covered up."

On either side of Hyoga's face, beginning from the corner of his mouth, are scars, somewhere between an inch and two, almost like an extension of his own muted smile. Hyoga downs the champaign in one gulp before tugging the mask back up over his nose. 

Gen... doesn't know what to say. He wants to ask- but on the same hand, he absolutely doesn't want to know.

"As for my attendance," he nods his head at a couple across the room laughing and chatting with who he knows are Ryusui's parents. "My parents and the Nanami family are acquainted." 

Gen frowns. "If you've got money of your own, why are you and your friends hassling people on the streets?" 

"Something to do?" Hyoga shrugs, reaching past Gen to set the empty flute on the table again. Gen scoffs but stills when, instead of pulling away after setting the flute down, Hyoga's hand settles on his waist and he steps closer. 

"What are you doing?" Gen asks immediately, feeling that anxiety jump to the forefront of his mind.

"My parents always told me that if I see something I want, I should grab it. I saw something I wanted." Hyoga murmurs. Gen swallows, presses his palms to Hyoga's chest.

"I'm pretty sure they meant that in a metaphorical sense." He pushes, but Hyoga doesn't budge. "Let go before someone sees." He demands, frowning.

"No one will see anything," Hyoga's lips brush Gen's ear, voice low and dangerous. "No one even comes back here. Don't you know it's considered impolite to loiter by the food tables?" His fingers are inching up Gen's suit jacket and the AI is beginning to panic.

"We can't do this here," he rushes. With Hyoga towering over him, he can't see past him, can't see anything else _but_ him- "We're in public- people could see-" Hyoga's free hand wraps around Gen's wrist, vice tight. Gen swears he hears his metal casing creak under the pressure.

"Then it's fine if no one else sees?" Gen almost wishes Hyoga hadn't pulled back far enough to look him in the eye, because Hyoga's eyes are dark, full of promise, and Gen doesn't like what they're promising. "Tonight has been so dreadfully boring. You'll keep me entertained, won't you?"

"I-"

"Excuse me," Senku's voice has Gen's metaphorical heart leaping into his throat. "It looks like you've got something of mine, and I'm gonna need you to let him go."

Hyoga releases Gen's wrist but not his waist as he turns to face Senku down. 

He has more than a few inches over Senku, and Gen is absolutely certain that if this comes to blows, Senku won't stand a chance, but Senku looks unfazed. His jaw is set, arms folded over his chest, and eyes hard; he doesn't look like he's going to back down any time soon.

"So you're the owner?" Hyoga drawls, one eyebrow cocked. 

"Who's asking?" 

Hyoga lets out an amused huff. "A potential buyer."

"Whatever you're trying to buy, I'm not selling." Senku deadpans. "Gen, get over here." Gen tries to take a step away but Hyoga's arm tightens around his waist, holding him in place. Senku's expression darkens further.

"Are you sure you won't reconsider..?" Hyoga drawls, like he's having a friendly chat about the weather and not trying to _buy_ Gen. "I've taken a liking to this particular AI. He's definitely one of a kind. Money is no object, of course."

"Sorry, it must be hard for you to hear since that ego of yours is so inflated," Gen watches wide-eyed as Senku steps closer, nearly toe to toe with Hyoga. _"He's not for sale, jackass."_

Senku tugs Gen out of Hyoga's hold with a hand around his wrist and Gen stumbles forward, nearly tripping over his own feet, but Senku is there to catch him and shove Gen behind him. If this was a cartoon, Gen is certain he'd see sparks flying between Senku and Hyoga as they glare at one another- maybe even flames. This is real life though, and though there might not be sparks, there's certainly a thick fog of tension surrounding them.

"Everything alright over here fellas?" Ryusui asks from the opposite side of the table, still smiling politely. "It looks a little tense." Neither man moves and Gen is beginning to wonder if someone's going to have to physically intervene- but Hyoga smiles. He grabs another glass of champagne with one hand as he tugs his mask off with the other. Instead of just pulling it down far enough to drink his flute of champagne, he takes it completely off and tucks it in his pocket, revealing his eerie smile and facial scars.

"Everything is just fine," he drawls, bringing the rim of the glass up to his lips. "Just talking business with this fine gentleman."

\---

When Hyoga begins giving Ryusui his birthday congratulations, Senku and Gen make a hasty retreat. 

They don't speak until they're back in the guest house, the front door shut firmly behind them. "Gods, he's so _persistent!"_ Senku spits like a curse. 

"I'll say," Gen huffs an awkward, strained laugh. Senku turns back around to frown at Gen.

“Are you alright? Did he say anything weird again?? Because I-”

“No, no,” Gen insists, giving Senku a small smile. “He didn’t. He just… threw his weight around. Though I’m sure if you hadn’t shown up when you did, I wouldn’t have gotten off so easy.” Senku exhales heavily and runs a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Senku-chan,” Gen continues, rubbing his upper arms. “I should have gotten away from there as soon as he showed up, but I malfunctioned and-”

“Malfunctioned how?” Senku says immediately, brows furrowed.

“Ah,” Gen frowns as well, wondering how best to explain what happens. “It’s kind of hard to explain..? But, when I saw him, it was like my processors shut down and I couldn’t think straight. My internal cooling unit sped up, and I was afraid and knew I needed to move, but my body wouldn’t respond to me.”

“That’s your fight or flight response,” Senku explains, a hint of a smile on his lips. “It means you’ve got a pretty good grasp on human emotions now.”

“Oh,” Gen murmurs, surprised. He’ll have to look up what “Fight or Flight Response” means later.

“But, I should be the one apologizing,” Senku sighs again. “I saw him at the beginning of the night, but I still got swept up in conversing with Kaseki and Chrome. I thought he’d keep it in his pants since it was a fucking _private event,_ but apparently not.” 

Gen smiles softly at Senku’s words and steps closer to Senku. Before he can second guess himself, he cups Senku’s cheeks and leans forward to press their lips together in a soft, chaste kiss. When he pulls back and opens his eyes, Senku is staring at him, stunned silent.

"Thank you, Senku-chan," Gen murmurs, stroking Senku's warm cheeks with his thumbs. After another moment, he feels Senku's hands settle on his waist.

"For what?" Senku asks, still watching Gen. 

"For telling Hyoga that I wasn't for sale," Gen steps closer, resting his hands on Senku's shoulders instead. "It made me feel…" he trails off, but Senku seems to understand.

"You're not for sale, Gen," he says seriously. "Not today, not tomorrow, no matter what price they offer me," his tongue flicks out to moisten his lips and Gen can only stare, enraptured by the way Senku is looking at him in turn- like he's something precious- something to be cared for- "You're mine. You deserve to be where you'll be treated like something more than just a fancy toy. You belong by my side."

Gen is moving before he even registers it, but Senku doesn't seem to mind if the way he holds Gen tighter means anything. This kiss is so much _more-_ more emotion, more passion, and definitely more tongue. Gen's fans haven't stopped for a moment since Senku started speaking and Gen is scared he might overheat- but he's not going to stop Senku from kissing him stupid. Not when Senku's got him pressed against the front door, one hand under Gen's thigh, supporting the leg Gen has wrapped around his waist, his other forearm braced against the wooden door beside Gen's face. His fingers are tangled in Senku's hair and it's too much but infinitely not enough and Gen _wants_ so badly.

If there were any doubt in Gen's mind what this feeling was before, there isn't anymore.

He loves Senku.


	11. Doesn't Always Stay In The Cabin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes what happens in the cabin doesn't always stay in the cabin... and for that, Gen is grateful.
> 
> \---
> 
> “Gen,” he gasps, presses their foreheads together again. He takes Gen’s cheeks in his hands and stills the AI’s movements. He wants to ask what this is.
> 
> He wants to ask why he’s feeling this way- why he can’t seem to get his thoughts straight- why he can’t separate what he knows and what he feels-
> 
> “Senku?” Senku blinks, meeting Gen’s eyes. Gen pushes Senku’s bangs out of his face with a confused frown, trying to see Senku clearly. “Are you alright?” His hand cups Senku’s cheek, thumb stroking Senku’s cheekbone softly.
> 
> Oh.
> 
> So that’s what this is. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, I can't believe it's been two months since I've updated this!! I'm so sorry for the delay, but thank you all for your patience!! 😭💖
> 
> I hope everyone's new year is off to a good start so far!! 💕  
> There's a lot of feelings and emotional development in this chapter!

They don't go any further than that Saturday night- not in the entryway.

They part when they hear voices coming closer. It's only Kohaku and Mozu, but Senku gets pulled into a conversation with them, and by the time they finally let him go, the mood is gone.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Senku asks with a tired smile. Gen returns the smile as he laces his fingers with Senku's

"Nothing scary."

\---

They end up laying in the dark of Ryusui’s guest room instead, shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh, and talking until Senku falls asleep. 

Their hands lay between them, fingers interlaced, and Gen doesn’t let go even when Senku’s breathing evens out in sleep, his body relaxing and grip going slack. The AI rolls over to face the sleeping man, movements careful and slow so as not to wake Senku, and Gen watches him; the slow and steady rise and fall of Senku’s chest, the way his expression is smoothed out in sleep. 

Tonight, Gen doesn’t stop himself.

He runs his finger over the slope of Senku’s nose, the arch of his eyebrows. He presses the tip his index finger into the swell of Senku’s bottom lip to watch the soft skin spring back into place when he removes his finger. 

He engraves it all into his memory... and prays that Senku won’t ever take them from him.

\---

On Sunday morning, the van is loaded up and everyone returns to their everyday lives.

They make it home a little after lunch, and after unpacking, Gen makes a small meal for Senku while the scientist replies to emails and catches up on notes and things. When Gen sets Senku’s plate on the counter in front of him, he fully intends to go clean the kitchen and order groceries for delivery while Senku works and eats, but the man closes his laptop and smiles up at Gen.

“After lunch, should we go shopping?”

Gen blinks, surprised. "Grocery shopping?"

"We can do that too," Senku nods, stirring the cheesy pasta around on his plate. "But I was thinking we ought to get you some more clothes. With spring and summer coming up, you don't really have anything for warmer weather."

"You know I can't feel the temperature, right?" Gen counters, amused. 

"You can't," Senku agrees, "but if you wear long sleeves in the middle of summer I'm 10 billion percent certain that you'll overheat."

"Good point," Gen nods. "In that case, I'd love to go shopping!" Gen begins wiping off the stove top and counters he cooked on, excited smile on his face and a spring in his step.

With his back turned, he doesn't notice Senku watching him with his own soft, amused smile.

\---

"I never wanna step foot in that place again," Senku groans and flops backwards across the couch. 

"Oh no," Gen grins, setting his haul down beside the end of the couch, "I could  _ live _ there."

"I could tell!" Senku laughs. 

They didn't make it to the grocery store.

Senku made the mistake of telling Gen to "take his time" and "pick whatever he wanted", so the pair ended up spending a good three hours walking around the shopping center before leaving with enough shopping bags to fill both of their arms.

To be fair, not all of the things Gen bought were for himself!

He found some cute baby clothes that he just knew Aki would look adorable in, and Gen may or may not have grabbed a couple new things for Senku when the scientist wasn't paying attention. How was he supposed to pass up a tie covered in rocket ships and planets??

He may or may not have also bought a few lacy garments while Senku was scrolling through his phone in the "husband area." If he and Senku are going to be intimate now, he wants to look his best.

It's not time to prepare dinner yet, so Gen plops down on the living room rug to begin going through the bags and sorting out his purchases. He hears Senku shuffle on the couch behind him but Gen stays focused on his sorting.

"That's cute," Senku says suddenly, and Gen pauses, holding up the little onesie with a lion's head on the tummy. 

"Isn't it?" Gen grins. "I couldn't pass it up."

"Seems like you couldn't pass up quite a few things," Senku teases, tugging one of the paper bags towards him. 

"You said to buy whatever I wanted to, so I did~!"

"Yeah, that was a slip up on my part," Senku laughs. Senku's laugh stops abruptly and Gen turns around with a confused frown. Senku is staring at something in the bag he'd been rifling through, eyes wide and cheeks pink, and Gen suddenly feels anxious. He drops the onesie onto the pile of clothes for Aki and turns to peer into the bag as well, wondering what exactly Senku found.

"Ah," he smiles shyly. "I might have gotten a few things when you weren't looking."

"...For you?" Senku asks quietly. Gen rolls his lips and nods. “I see…” Silence falls over them and Gen hesitates for a second before reaching in to pull out the lacy object.

“Would you like for me to model them for you?”

Senku swallows, pupils dilated when he meets Gen’s eyes.

“Right now?”

Gen feels emboldened by Senku’s reaction. “If you want. I have a matching top, too.” Senku licks his lips.

“I  _ do _ want.”

\---

When Gen steps out of the bathroom, Senku feels all the blood in his body rush south as his heart leaps into his throat.

“So?” Gen prompts, padding across the living room, not even trying to hide his amusement at Senku’s reaction. “Does it suit me?” He asks, smoothing his hands over the see-through top. 

“I think that’s an understatement,” Senku mumbles, eyes roving over Gen’s lacy ensemble. The black lace of Gen’s boyshorts hugs his slim waist, the swirling pattern just barely kissing Gen’s thighs and hugging the small swell of Gen’s ass. The sheer fabric of his top ends right above the panties, held up by the thin black straps resting on his shoulders. Gen brushes a stray strand of white hair out of his face and Senku swallows hard.

Instead of pausing in front of him, Gen kneels on the couch over Senku, one knee pressed into the cushions on either side of his thighs and palms resting on Senku's chest, and Senku finds himself holding onto Gen's waist in return. Gen hovers over Senku's lap instead of resting his weight on Senku, and in a way, Senku thinks that's worse than the AI just sitting on him.

Gen slides his hands up Senku's chest, over Senku's shoulders and past his neck to cup Senku's jaw and tip Senku's head back, forcing him to meet Gen's hooded blue eyes. "Do you like it, Senku-chan?" he asks quietly. 

"I do," Senku replies, just as softly. Gen presses his forehead against Senku's and this suddenly feels a lot more intimate than just Gen modeling his sexy underwear for him. Senku rubs circles on Gen's smooth skin with his thumbs, tips his head up just enough to brush their noses together, and their lips are millimeters apart. "It looks good on you, Gen."

Their lips meet and here, without the rush of adrenaline from last night, he can feel the difference in Gen's mouth and a flesh and blood human. His lips are soft and have some give, but they're still firm and lack the flexibility and movement of a human's lips. Gen's mouth is warm and a little wet, but not slick or slippery, and it's different than anything Senku has ever experienced. 

Gen's fingers in his hair and his weight pressing Senku into the plush couch cushions, have Senku pulling Gen closer, pressing their crotches together and letting out a low moan at the spine tingling friction. Gen presses closer, slips his tongue into Senku’s mouth and kisses deeper, tightening his grip on the two toned strands in his hands and Senku’s hands slide down, slipping under the translucent fabric, cupping Gen’s small ass in both hands, using his grip to draw Gen closer, closer-

His hands squeeze and spread- just like they would a human- and he knows it doesn’t have any  _ practical _ effect but Gen groans anyways and it’s probably just in his programming but it has Senku so hard- so desperate for more-

Gen grinds down on Senku’s more than obvious bulge and the scientist breaks the kiss to let out a low groan, letting his head loll against the back of the couch, and Gen takes that as an offering. His mouth latches onto the exposed flesh, nipping and suckling, hips working in a slow grind, nimble fingers finding the small buttons of Senku’s button down shirt and undoing them as quickly as he possibly can while Senku luxuriates in the feeling of Gen’s hands and mouth on him.

With the shirt completely unbuttoned, Senku sits up enough to push it completely off his shoulders, throwing it onto the floor once his arms are free of the offending fabric. Gen cups his chin, his cheeks, and pulls him into another kiss, desperate and passionate, and Senku is  _ burning _ from the inside out. He’s clutching at Gen’s waist, his back, kissing Gen with a fervor he doesn’t know that he’s ever felt before.

“Gen,” he gasps, presses their foreheads together again. He takes Gen’s cheeks in his hands and stills the AI’s movements. He wants to ask what this is.

He wants to ask why he’s feeling this way- why he can’t seem to get his thoughts straight- why he can’t separate what he knows and what he feels-

“Senku?” Senku blinks, meeting Gen’s eyes. Gen pushes Senku’s bangs out of his face with a confused frown, trying to see Senku clearly. “Are you alright?” His hand cups Senku’s cheek, thumb stroking Senku’s cheekbone softly.

_ Oh. _

So that’s what this is. 

Senku holds Gen’s hand, nuzzles his cheek into it, and nods. 

“I’m fine.”

Their next kiss is softer, much slower, and Gen lets Senku shift him into a more comfortable position on his back. 

When he pulls down Gen’s panties, he presses a kiss to the inside of Gen’s ankle, right beside the anklet adorning his left foot.

It serves no “practical” purpose, really…

But Senku has never been the best at expressing his feelings in words.

As he plunges into Gen’s tight, wet, heat, their hooded eyes locked and fingers entwined above Gen’s head, Senku wonders if Gen understands.

If he can  _ feel _ how much Senku loves him.

\--- 

March is just beginning, and though still cold, Gen knows the weather will begin to warm up soon. The sakura trees will begin to bloom soon, and Gen is looking forward to it. There was a whole segment on it on the news, and Gen was immediately enraptured by the beautiful clips shown from years past. Nothing sounds nicer than sitting under the pink and white trees with Senku and his friends, a spread of food around them and probably more alcohol than needed.

But before he can make plans for flower viewing, he has to figure out how to make more space in his memory.

It’s been almost three months without a memory card, and Gen honestly isn’t sure how much longer he can keep this up. 

He’s deleted just about everything he can at this point- including more than half the recipes he’d saved after the first round of deleting memories, but he still can’t seem to get below 80% now. To say he's nervous about it would be an understatement. He’s cut and sliced and carved memories as deeply as he can, so deeply that now most of his memories look like spliced together video reels or compilation videos you might find online. 

He refuses to touch his memories of Senku, however.

He’s buried them so far inside himself that he’s certain no one will ever see them. Clips like this- of Senku sleeping on his stomach not a foot away from him, hair bedraggled and wild, arms curled under his pillow, a small pool of drool under his cheek and one leg wrapped around Gen’s under the comforter. The blanket has slipped far enough to expose Senku’s bare shoulders and upper back, but the scientist doesn’t seem to mind, so Gen makes no moves to cover him back up.

Senku suddenly inhales deeply, leg wrapped around Gen’s shifting, and Gen smiles. “Good morning,” he murmurs. Senku pries one heavy eyelid open and smiles, amused and sleep filled, as he lets out a chuff of air.

“What are you doing?” his voice is scratchy and languid from sleep. He closes his eyes as he stretches his arms and out as far as he can.

“Just watching you sleep~”

_ “Why?” _ Senku laughs scrubbing his hands over his face now.

“Just because I can.” Gen grins and pulls the blankets up over his own exposed shoulder and brings his knees up closer to his stomach. Senku shakes his head fondly as he pushes up into a sitting position, letting the sheets fall to his waist. 

“That’s borderline stalker, you know.”

“Only for you though, Senku-chan~” Gen croons.

“That doesn’t make it any better!” Senku laughs. The man swings his legs over the edge of the bed and Gen watches as he pads to the ensuite bathroom wearing nothing but his boxer briefs, waiting until the door is pushed to before sitting up with a sigh himself. The shower starts and Gen curls his knees up to his chest. He wraps his arms around them and rests his cheek against his knees as he stares at the bathroom door. 

82% full, but only 50% of it is stuff he saved himself. If only he could-

Gen stills.

...Why  _ can’t _ he..?

As he opens his pre-downloaded information and programming, Gen feels like he’s doing something he shouldn’t. He hesitates, stomach in metaphorical knots.

If he deletes these… there’s no going back. Sure, he won’t miss them- won’t even know these functions existed, but… 

“You alright?” Gen blinks and Senku is strolling out of the bedroom, towel slung low on his hips and held with one hand while the other ruffles his damp hair with a smaller yellow towel. Senku’s shoulders are still speckled with water droplets, his skin still pink from the hot water, and Gen smiles.

“Peachy! Just waiting on you to come out looking like a model so I can start my day off right~!” Gen says cheerfully, stretching his arms above his head and making a show of looking like a human getting ready to start a big day. It makes Senku laugh and shake his head fondly again before he turns and heads into the closet to get dressed. 

Gen slips on the lilac robe that hangs on the foot post of the bed and pads into the kitchen to start on breakfast for Senku. 

As the eggs cook, Gen opens his programming again. 

This time, he doesn’t hesitate.

**FILES DELETED**


End file.
